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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
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: mug · racket · stick · row · mark · bark · mine · coach

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. row — a line
  4. mug — a cup
  5. mark — a grade
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. bark — to shout
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. mug — to rob
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. row — to paddle
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. mug — a face
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. mine — for digging
  24. racket — a loud noise

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