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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
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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: rest · pit · bank · bark · track · ball · coach · key

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. pit — in a race
  3. rest — a break
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. bank — of a river
  6. key — in music
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. track — a path
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. rest — what's left
  11. key — for a lock
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. ball — a great time
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. pit — a hole
  16. ball — a dance
  17. bank — for money
  18. track — a song
  19. key — the most important part
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bank — for money
  24. track — to keep track

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