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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.

Make a worksheet

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: date · fan · arm · coach · racket · bear · sharp · perch

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. bear — the animal
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. sharp — clever
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. perch — the fish
  11. date — the fruit
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. sharp — exactly

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