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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: scale · pass · bark · press · net · can · bowl · coach

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. can — to be able to
  3. net — after costs
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. pass — a permit
  6. press — newspapers
  7. can — a tin
  8. net — in sport
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bark — to shout
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. press — to push
  15. press — a publisher
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. scale — size or range
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. net — for catching
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. can — a tin
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. scale — in music
  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