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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. stand — to bear
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. perch — the fish
  7. prune — to trim
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. board — to get on
  11. stem — to come from
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. saw — the tool
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. prune — to trim
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. saw — the tool

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