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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
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: march · calf · bear · perch · suit · bass · coach · swing

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. swing — to play on
  4. bass — low music
  5. bear — the animal
  6. suit — clothes
  7. perch — the fish
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. march — the month
  12. bear — the animal
  13. march — the month
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. swing — music
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bass — the fish
  19. swing — in golf
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. suit — to fit
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. suit — in cards
  24. march — music

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