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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: chest · leaves · coach · hide · club · can · cue · perch

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — a tin
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. cue — a signal
  6. chest — of your body
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. can — to be able to
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. cue — for pool
  12. club — for golf
  13. cue — a hint
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. club — for dancing
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — the fish
  22. chest — of your body
  23. club — a group
  24. hide — animal skin

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