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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: lie · bark · coach · band · leaves · key · trunk · can

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. band — a music group
  4. band — a ring
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. lie — to recline
  8. key — in music
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. can — to be able to
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. can — a tin
  14. key — for a lock
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. can — a tin
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. key — the most important part
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. bark — to shout
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  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