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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
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: ground · cabinet · perch · stand · mouse · saw · coach · rock

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. saw — the tool
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. ground — crushed
  8. perch — the fish
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. saw — the tool
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. rock — a stone
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. ground — the earth
  19. rock — music
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. ground — a position
  24. perch — for a bird

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