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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: rock · pop · safe · rash · perch · coach · pound · chair

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. rock — a stone
  6. pop — soda
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. rash — hasty
  12. chair — a leader
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. rash — a series
  16. pop — music
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. rock — music
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. perch — the fish
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. pound — a weight

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