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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.

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: staff · perch · leaves · bay · snap · scale · bark · coach

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. scale — in music
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. scale — size or range
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. snap — to click
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. staff — employees
  17. perch — the fish
  18. bark — to shout
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. staff — employees

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