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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 120 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: club · coach · wake · track · hide · perch · object · cap

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. track — to keep track
  5. object — an aim
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. cap — a lid
  8. club — for golf
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. perch — the fish
  11. track — a path
  12. object — to protest
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. club — for dancing
  16. object — a thing
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. track — a song
  20. club — a group
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. cap — of ice
  23. wake — a trail
  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