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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
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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: field · perch · foot · bass · prune · coach · wave · firm

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bass — the fish
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. bass — low music
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. prune — to trim
  7. field — a subject
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. firm — steady
  10. firm — decided
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. perch — the fish
  13. foot — a measure
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. prune — to trim
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. firm — a company
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. field — for sport
  24. field — farmland

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