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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: game · coach · track · cabinet · object · wax · perch · pit

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. pit — in a race
  3. track — to keep track
  4. game — wild animals
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. object — to protest
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. track — a path
  10. object — an aim
  11. game — a match
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. wax — to grow
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. track — a song
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. object — a thing
  23. pit — a hole
  24. wax — for sculpting

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