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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 120 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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  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. coach — pulled by horses
  2. suit — to fit
  3. swing — to play on
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. swing — music
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. swing — in golf
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. perch — the fish
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. stem — to come from
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. suit — clothes
  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