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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 · rock · lie · bass · wake · bore · perch · band

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. perch — the fish
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bore — to drill
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bore — to tire
  10. band — a ring
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. band — a music group
  15. bass — low music
  16. rock — a stone
  17. bass — the fish
  18. wake — a trail
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. rock — music

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