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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: pass · coach · firm · mug · bark · tear · kid · staff

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. tear — from crying
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pass — a permit
  5. firm — decided
  6. bark — to shout
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. mug — a cup
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. kid — to tease
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. firm — a company
  14. mug — to rob
  15. staff — employees
  16. tear — to rip
  17. staff — a stick
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. kid — child
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. firm — steady
  22. mug — a face
  23. tear — from crying
  24. staff — employees

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