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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.

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 · bore · ball · drill · rest · scale · lean · bark

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. lean — thin
  3. rest — what's left
  4. drill — the tool
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — a break
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. scale — size or range
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. drill — a practice
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. ball — a great time
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. bore — to drill
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. drill — army training
  20. ball — a dance
  21. bore — to tire
  22. lean — to bend
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. bark — to shout

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