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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: coach · racket · fan · mark · perch · mate · stand · bore

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. stand — to bear
  3. bore — to tire
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bore — to drill
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. mark — a grade
  8. mate — a friend
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. perch — the fish
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mate — a partner
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. mark — a trace

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