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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 116 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: coach · bank · hand · rash · object · pass · pop · perch

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. pop — soda
  3. object — to protest
  4. bank — for money
  5. pop — music
  6. hand — help
  7. bank — for money
  8. pass — a permit
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. hand — in cards
  11. pop — to visit
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. rash — hasty
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. rash — a series
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. object — a thing
  21. perch — the fish
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. object — an aim
  24. bank — of a river

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