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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 124 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: bark · leaves · ball · rush · mine · mark · firm · coach

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. ball — a dance
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. firm — decided
  7. mark — a grade
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. firm — steady
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. bark — to shout
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. mine — for digging
  21. rush — hurry
  22. firm — a company
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. mark — a trace

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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