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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
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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: coach · mug · kick · wound · last · perch · face · jam

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. mug — a cup
  5. last — final
  6. face — to point toward
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. wound — an injury
  10. face — to confront
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. perch — the fish
  13. wound — an injury
  14. mug — a face
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. last — to go on
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. face — part of the head
  19. last — finally
  20. kick — in football
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. mug — to rob

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