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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 120 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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Word bank
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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. perch — the fish
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. board — to get on
  7. pound — a weight
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bore — to drill
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. deal — to handle
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. board — a committee
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. snap — to click
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. bore — to tire

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