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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: coach · perch · ball · roll · arm · bay · bore · trunk

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. ball — a dance
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. perch — the fish
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. roll — a list
  16. bore — to tire
  17. roll — a cake
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. ball — a great time
  24. bore — to drill

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