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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.

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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 · stick · scale · coach · mine · stand · bay · trunk

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — the fish
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. scale — in music
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. mine — for digging
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. scale — size or range
  24. stand — to bear

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