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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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: bay · can · scale · wind · fine · coach · bark · dip

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bark — to shout
  4. dip — to sink
  5. scale — size or range
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. scale — in music
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. wind — moving air
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. can — to be able to
  14. fine — all right
  15. fine — high quality
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. can — a tin
  20. wind — moving air
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. can — a tin

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