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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. swing — in golf
  5. kick — in football
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. perch — the fish
  8. staff — employees
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. swing — music
  13. stand — to bear
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. staff — employees
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. staff — a stick
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. dip — to sink

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