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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 · coach · hand · perch · suit · trunk · bank · swing

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  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. suit — to fit
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bank — for money
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. swing — in golf
  6. bank — for money
  7. can — a tin
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. can — to be able to
  11. perch — the fish
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. suit — clothes
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. hand — help
  18. bank — of a river
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. swing — to play on
  21. can — a tin
  22. swing — music
  23. hand — in cards
  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