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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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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 · chair · rock · fork · prune · ruler · coach · bear

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. bear — the animal
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. rock — a stone
  9. perch — the fish
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. prune — to trim
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. bear — the animal
  16. prune — to trim
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. rock — music
  19. chair — a leader
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. fork — in a road
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. bear — to put up with

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