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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
468
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: fan · wake · bank · bay · court · cabinet · bark · coach

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. court — of law
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. court — of a king
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. wake — a trail
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — for money
  23. court — for sport
  24. bark — of a tree

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