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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
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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 · coach · ground · bass · march · safe · bowl · snap

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  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. coach — pulled by horses
  2. bass — low music
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. march — music
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. march — the month
  10. ground — the earth
  11. ground — crushed
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. perch — the fish
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. march — the month
  21. ground — a position
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. snap — to click
  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