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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: foot · chip · hide · bark · coach · rash · cue · net

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. bark — to shout
  4. cue — a hint
  5. net — for catching
  6. foot — a measure
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. net — in sport
  9. rash — a series
  10. chip — for betting
  11. cue — for pool
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. rash — hasty
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. cue — a signal
  16. chip — to eat
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. net — after costs

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