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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.

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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: bark · racket · coach · saw · temple · bore · net · wake

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. net — in sport
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. saw — the tool
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bore — to tire
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. bore — to drill
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. bark — to shout
  16. wake — a trail
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. net — after costs
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. net — for catching
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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