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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 · saw · bark · scale · dip · lie · rash · toast

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. rash — a series
  3. scale — in music
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. rash — hasty
  7. scale — size or range
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. saw — the tool
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. bark — to shout
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. lie — to recline
  20. saw — the tool
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. toast — bread
  24. coach — a trainer

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