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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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 · racket · rush · coach · safe · firm · ground · pound

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  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. rush — hurry
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. ground — the earth
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. pound — a weight
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. firm — steady
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. perch — the fish
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. firm — a company
  17. firm — decided
  18. ground — a position
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. ground — crushed
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. racket — for tennis
  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