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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: coach · leaves · chair · cell · present · ball · dip · bark

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. cell — a phone
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. present — the time now
  5. bark — to shout
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. present — there
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. dip — to sink
  15. cell — in biology
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. ball — a great time
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. present — a gift
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. chair — a leader
  24. ball — a dance

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