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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: suit · mouse · perch · leaves · roll · cold · coach · present

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. 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. roll — a list
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. suit — clothes
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. cold — an illness
  6. roll — a cake
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. present — a gift
  10. perch — the fish
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. present — there
  15. present — the time now
  16. suit — in cards
  17. cold — not warm
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. suit — to fit
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. 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