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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: coach · date · perch · key · mark · stick · root · stand

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. key — for a lock
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. root — of a word
  9. mark — a grade
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. date — the fruit
  12. perch — the fish
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. root — of a plant
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. stand — to bear
  19. mark — a trace
  20. key — the most important part
  21. root — the cause
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. key — in music
  24. stand — on your feet

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