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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: coach · lie · pass · nail · bark · pitcher · bank · calf

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — to recline
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pass — a permit
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. bank — for money
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bark — to shout
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — of a river

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