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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: perch · bay · object · date · stem · wave · suit · coach

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. perch — the fish
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. suit — to fit
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. stem — to come from
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. suit — clothes
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. date — the fruit
  16. object — to protest
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. suit — in cards
  22. object — a thing
  23. object — an aim
  24. stem — of a plant

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