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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: mouse · season · game · coach · perch · prune · pass · rush

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. rush — hurry
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. prune — to trim
  8. perch — the fish
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. season — of the year
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. season — in sport
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. game — a match
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. prune — to trim
  24. perch — for a bird

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