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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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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: game · lean · safe · perch · suit · pound · pit · coach

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. lean — thin
  4. pit — in a race
  5. suit — to fit
  6. perch — the fish
  7. pound — a weight
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. lean — to bend
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. suit — in cards
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. game — wild animals
  19. game — a match
  20. pit — a hole
  21. suit — clothes
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. lean — to rest against

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