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

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. suit — clothes
  4. stand — to bear
  5. prune — to trim
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bound — obliged
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. bound — tied together
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. suit — to fit
  13. prune — to trim
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. bound — certain
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. roll — a cake
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. roll — a list
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. perch — the fish

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