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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  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. bowl — to roll
  2. perch — the fish
  3. board — to get on
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. board — a committee
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. club — for dancing
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. club — for golf
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. club — a group
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. chair — a leader
  19. pound — a weight
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. fork — in a road
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bowl — a dish
  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