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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.

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: pop · season · perch · coach · wave · key · lie · squash

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — the fish
  5. squash — the sport
  6. pop — music
  7. squash — to crush
  8. pop — soda
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. season — in sport
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. key — in music
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. lie — to recline
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. key — the most important part
  18. key — for a lock
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. season — of the year
  22. pop — to visit
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. coach — a trainer

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