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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: coach · perch · mouse · saw · mate · stand · plane · fork

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. mate — a partner
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. mate — a friend
  12. perch — the fish
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. plane — a tool
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. fork — in a road
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — the tool
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. stand — to bear
  22. mate — to breed
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. coach — a trainer

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