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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. board — a committee
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. perch — the fish
  5. kick — in football
  6. scale — size or range
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. march — music
  9. can — a tin
  10. chair — a leader
  11. can — to be able to
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. march — the month
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. can — a tin
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. march — the month
  19. board — to get on
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. scale — in music
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. leaves — to go away

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