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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 120 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: coach · bark · charge · mouse · staff · deal · field · trunk

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. field — a subject
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. deal — to handle
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. charge — electricity
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. staff — employees
  14. bark — to shout
  15. field — farmland
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — a stick
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. charge — in control
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. field — for sport
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. charge — a price

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