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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.

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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: pitcher · wake · cabinet · mark · coach · present · leaves · bark

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. present — the time now
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. present — a gift
  12. bark — to shout
  13. mark — a grade
  14. present — there
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. mark — a trace
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. wake — a trail
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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