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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
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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: scale · saw · prune · date · deal · perch · coach · firm

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. saw — the tool
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. firm — a company
  6. prune — to trim
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. prune — to trim
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. saw — the tool
  11. date — the fruit
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. scale — in music
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. firm — steady
  21. firm — decided
  22. perch — the fish
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. scale — size or range

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