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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
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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: bark · bowl · coach · hand · rock · leaves · ruler · field

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. field — farmland
  3. rock — a stone
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. hand — in cards
  7. field — for sport
  8. rock — music
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. field — a subject
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. hand — help
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bark — to shout
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bowl — a dish
  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