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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: bark · rock · pit · mark · swing · suit · rash · coach

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — to fit
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. suit — in cards
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. rash — hasty
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. bark — to shout
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. mark — a trace
  13. rash — a series
  14. swing — in golf
  15. pit — in a race
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. rock — a stone
  18. mark — a grade
  19. rock — music
  20. swing — music
  21. swing — to play on
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. pit — a hole
  24. coach — a trainer

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