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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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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 · chest · pop · suit · key · perch · band · race

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. chest — a box
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. pop — to visit
  5. suit — to fit
  6. race — a contest
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. key — in music
  9. race — the arms race
  10. band — a music group
  11. band — a ring
  12. perch — the fish
  13. suit — clothes
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. key — the most important part
  16. suit — in cards
  17. key — for a lock
  18. chest — of your body
  19. pop — music
  20. chest — of your body
  21. pop — soda
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. race — humankind
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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