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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.

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: lie · coach · rash · bowl · perch · hide · racket · wax

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. lie — to recline
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. rash — hasty
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. rash — a series
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. wax — to grow
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. perch — the fish
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. coach — a trainer

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