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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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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. board — a committee
  3. firm — a company
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. bore — to tire
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. bore — to drill
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. prune — to trim
  15. board — to get on
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. root — of a word
  18. prune — to trim
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. root — of a plant
  21. firm — steady
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. root — the cause
  24. perch — the fish

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