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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 116 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
468
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: fall · cabinet · patient · coach · track · rash · pass · bark

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. track — a song
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fall — the season
  5. track — a path
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. rash — a series
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. fall — to drop
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. rash — hasty
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. track — to keep track
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. pass — a permit

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