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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.

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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: mate · perch · coach · lie · safe · stem · rock · key

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. key — in music
  4. lie — to recline
  5. rock — music
  6. mate — a friend
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. key — the most important part
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. mate — a partner
  15. perch — the fish
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. rock — a stone
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. stem — to come from
  23. key — for a lock
  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