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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: coach · fan · key · perch · dip · season · present · bay

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. season — in sport
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. present — a gift
  6. present — there
  7. key — the most important part
  8. season — of the year
  9. key — in music
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. present — the time now
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. key — for a lock
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. dip — to sink

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