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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: bark · fork · stand · tube · coach · press · can · track

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  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. tube — in a tire
  2. stand — to bear
  3. can — a tin
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. fork — in a road
  8. can — to be able to
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. track — a path
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. track — a song
  14. press — to push
  15. track — to keep track
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. tube — the underground
  19. press — newspapers
  20. can — a tin
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. tube — a container
  23. press — a publisher
  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