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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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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: firm · object · lean · coach · fine · ground · perch · stick

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. firm — decided
  3. firm — a company
  4. ground — crushed
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. lean — to bend
  8. fine — all right
  9. object — a thing
  10. perch — the fish
  11. firm — steady
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. object — to protest
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. ground — a position
  17. fine — high quality
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. lean — thin
  23. ground — the earth
  24. object — an aim

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