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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: mine · coach · lie · season · stick · nail · file · bark

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. mine — for digging
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — to recline
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. season — of the year
  16. bark — to shout
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. file — a tool
  20. season — in sport
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. file — a document

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