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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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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: perch · bank · squash · rock · coach · court

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. perch — the fish
  3. bank — of a river
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. court — for sport
  7. rock — a stone
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bank — for money
  10. court — of a king
  11. bank — for money
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. squash — to crush
  14. court — of law
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. squash — the sport
  17. rock — music
  18. perch — for a bird

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