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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 116 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: coach · bark · cue · pass · mark · mine · scale · leaves

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. mark — a trace
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. cue — for pool
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. cue — a hint
  8. mark — a grade
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. scale — size or range
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. mine — for digging
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. bark — to shout
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. cue — a signal
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. scale — in music
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. leaves — lets stay

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