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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: calf · present · face · can · snap · ball · bark · coach

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. ball — a dance
  3. ball — a great time
  4. can — to be able to
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. present — there
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. face — to point toward
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. present — the time now
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. can — a tin
  16. present — a gift
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. face — to confront
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. can — a tin
  23. face — part of the head
  24. snap — to click

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