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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: can · straw · perch · suit · pitch · coach · date · rush

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. suit — in cards
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — the fish
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. date — the fruit
  7. can — to be able to
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. can — a tin
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. suit — to fit
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. pitch — completely
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. rush — hurry
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. suit — clothes

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