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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
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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: mark · hide · drill · coach · bark · mine · bank · march

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. mark — a trace
  3. bank — for money
  4. march — the month
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. drill — the tool
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. drill — a practice
  11. bark — to shout
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. bank — for money
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bank — of a river
  16. march — music
  17. mark — a grade
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. mine — for digging
  22. drill — army training
  23. march — the month
  24. mark — to pay attention

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