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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: bark · bore · ball · rock · coach · bank · march · cue

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. rock — a stone
  7. march — the month
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. march — the month
  10. bore — to tire
  11. cue — a hint
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — for money
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. rock — music
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. cue — a signal
  19. bank — of a river
  20. march — music
  21. bark — to shout
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. ball — a great time
  24. bore — to drill

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