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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: perch · coach · stand · face · firm · present · mouse · club

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. club — a group
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. perch — the fish
  6. present — there
  7. face — part of the head
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. present — a gift
  11. face — to point toward
  12. club — for golf
  13. firm — a company
  14. firm — steady
  15. face — to confront
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. present — the time now
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. club — for dancing
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. firm — decided
  24. coach — a trainer

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