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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: staff · mark · bark · coach · can · pound · press · fork

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. staff — employees
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. can — a tin
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. mark — a trace
  8. press — newspapers
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. staff — employees
  12. can — a tin
  13. press — a publisher
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. can — to be able to
  17. staff — a stick
  18. mark — a grade
  19. bark — to shout
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. press — to push
  24. fork — in a road

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