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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: pitcher · net · bound · coach · bark · nail · staff · scale

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. net — in sport
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. net — for catching
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. staff — employees
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bound — certain
  11. scale — in music
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. bound — tied together
  16. net — after costs
  17. bark — to shout
  18. staff — a stick
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. staff — employees
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. scale — size or range
  24. nail — for a hammer

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