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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: jam · perch · wax · bass · shower · press · suit · coach

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. perch — the fish
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. shower — to wash
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — clothes
  11. bass — low music
  12. shower — rain
  13. suit — to fit
  14. press — newspapers
  15. wax — to grow
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. press — to push
  21. press — a publisher
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. bass — the fish

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