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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 116 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: coach · key · wake · rash · perch · net · prune · bay

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. perch — the fish
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. prune — to trim
  9. key — for a lock
  10. wake — a trail
  11. key — the most important part
  12. net — for catching
  13. prune — to trim
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. net — in sport
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. rash — hasty
  19. net — after costs
  20. key — in music
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — for a bird

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