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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: bay · wave · ball · coach · ground · fork · bark · saw

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  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. ground — the earth
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. ground — a position
  7. fork — in a road
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. ball — a dance
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. ball — a great time
  17. ground — crushed
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. bark — to shout
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. fork — to eat with
  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