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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.

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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: scale · coach · staff · key · perch · bear · stock · object

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. scale — in music
  3. staff — a stick
  4. stock — shares
  5. scale — size or range
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. perch — the fish
  8. object — to protest
  9. key — in music
  10. object — a thing
  11. stock — goods
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. key — for a lock
  15. staff — employees
  16. key — the most important part
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. bear — the animal
  21. staff — employees
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. object — an aim
  24. bear — the animal

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