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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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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: fork · bowl · cell · safe · coach · lie · pound · bark

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. cell — in biology
  7. lie — to recline
  8. fork — in a road
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. pound — a weight
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bark — to shout
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. cell — a phone
  24. safe — a strongbox

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