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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: can · mouse · foot · hand · rash · coach · bark · press

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. rash — a series
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. foot — a measure
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. can — to be able to
  10. can — a tin
  11. press — a publisher
  12. bark — to shout
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. press — newspapers
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. rash — hasty
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. press — to push
  22. hand — in cards
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. can — a tin

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com