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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: perch · net · coach · stand · pass · spell · fork · ball

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  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. pass — a permit
  2. spell — a short time
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. fork — in a road
  6. ball — a great time
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. net — after costs
  9. spell — letters
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. net — in sport
  14. net — for catching
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. ball — a dance
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. perch — the fish
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. spell — magic
  22. stand — to bear
  23. stand — for spectators
  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