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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 · pit · can · stem · mug · club · drill · coach

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. drill — a practice
  5. pit — a hole
  6. club — a group
  7. club — for dancing
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. mug — a face
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. can — a tin
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. can — a tin
  15. mug — a cup
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. can — to be able to
  18. drill — army training
  19. club — for golf
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. drill — the tool
  22. mug — to rob
  23. pit — in a race
  24. stem — to come from

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