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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 120 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
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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: perch · capital · mug · coach · stick · safe · rock · shower

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. perch — the fish
  3. capital — a city
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. mug — a cup
  6. shower — to wash
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. shower — rain
  9. mug — to rob
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. rock — music
  15. capital — money
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. rock — a stone
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. capital — a big letter

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