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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.

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: club · pass · perch · coach · object · mark · roll · lie

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. perch — the fish
  3. roll — a cake
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pass — a permit
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. object — an aim
  12. club — for golf
  13. club — for dancing
  14. club — a group
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. lie — to recline
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. roll — a list
  21. mark — a trace
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. object — a thing
  24. object — to protest

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