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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: calf · perch · pitcher · drill · chair · coach · bay · current

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. drill — a practice
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — the fish
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. chair — a leader
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. current — happening now
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. current — of water
  17. current — electric
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. drill — the tool

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