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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 116 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: perch · ground · tear · rock · saw · staff · straw · coach

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. tear — to rip
  3. ground — a position
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — the tool
  7. rock — a stone
  8. ground — the earth
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. staff — employees
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. rock — music
  16. perch — the fish
  17. tear — from crying
  18. tear — from crying
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. ground — crushed
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. straw — dry grass
  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