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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: stem · coach · ground · bound · cue · perch · temple · lash

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. cue — a signal
  6. bound — tied together
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. perch — the fish
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. cue — a hint
  13. ground — the earth
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. stem — to come from
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. cue — for pool
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. bound — certain
  23. ground — crushed
  24. bound — obliged

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