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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.

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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
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: key · fork · date · pitch · coach · leaves · ball · perch

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  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. perch — for a bird
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. ball — a dance
  5. date — the fruit
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. perch — the fish
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. ball — a great time
  14. key — in music
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. pitch — completely
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. fork — in a road
  20. key — for a lock
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. key — the most important part
  23. fork — a garden tool
  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