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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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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: wake · pitch · temple · coach · bear · stick · bark · nail

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. bear — the animal
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. bark — to shout
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. pitch — completely
  15. wake — a trail
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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