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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.

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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: club · lean · staff · coach · perch · bear · mine · ruler

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. lean — to bend
  3. lean — thin
  4. staff — a stick
  5. staff — employees
  6. mine — for digging
  7. staff — employees
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bear — the animal
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. club — for dancing
  16. club — a group
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. perch — the fish
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. club — for golf
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. mine — an explosive

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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