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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: pop · coach · perch · track · snap · fine · bound · bear

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. fine — high quality
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bound — obliged
  7. perch — the fish
  8. bound — tied together
  9. pop — music
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bound — certain
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. track — a song
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. track — to keep track
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. fine — all right
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. pop — to visit
  20. bear — the animal
  21. pop — soda
  22. track — a path
  23. snap — to click
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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