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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 · bowl · stand · deal · stem · coach · ball · drill

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stand — to bear
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. drill — the tool
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. drill — army training
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. deal — to handle
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. ball — a dance
  18. ball — a great time
  19. stem — to come from
  20. drill — a practice
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. bowl — a football final

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