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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 116 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: pound · rush · coach · bore · perch · fall · staff · mouse

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. rush — hurry
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. pound — a weight
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. perch — the fish
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — to drop
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — employees
  19. fall — the season
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bore — to drill
  24. staff — a stick

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