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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.

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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 · ball · can · coach · net · rock · scale · safe

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. rock — a stone
  5. can — a tin
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. net — in sport
  8. ball — a dance
  9. can — to be able to
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ball — a great time
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. rock — music
  16. bark — to shout
  17. scale — size or range
  18. scale — in music
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. net — after costs
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. can — a tin

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