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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 116 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
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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: sharp · stick · content · spring · coach · perch · season · rock

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. perch — the fish
  6. content — happy
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. spring — a coil
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. rock — a stone
  13. season — of the year
  14. season — in sport
  15. rock — music
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. content — the amount
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. spring — of water
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. spring — the season

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