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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: temple · tear · bay · rash · spell · mate · coach · bark

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. rash — a series
  3. tear — from crying
  4. rash — hasty
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. bark — to shout
  7. spell — magic
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. mate — a friend
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. spell — a short time
  13. mate — to breed
  14. mate — a partner
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. tear — from crying
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. tear — to rip
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. spell — letters

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