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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: drill · leaves · content · rash · wound · coach · bark · dip

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. bark — to shout
  3. drill — a practice
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. wound — an injury
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. drill — the tool
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. wound — an injury
  10. content — the amount
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. content — happy
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. rash — a series
  19. rash — hasty
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. dip — to sink
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — a trainer

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