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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. board — to get on
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. race — humankind
  5. race — the arms race
  6. bear — the animal
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. board — a committee
  9. date — the fruit
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. perch — the fish
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. race — a contest
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bear — the animal
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. jam — a tight spot

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