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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 120 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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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 · bore · hand · rock · fan · bark · stick · pop

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. pop — music
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. hand — in cards
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. bore — to tire
  9. pop — to visit
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pop — soda
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rock — music
  19. bore — to drill
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. rock — a stone
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. hand — help
  24. fan — a supporter

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