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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bat · land · ruler · mouse · perch · hide · coach · board

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. board — to get on
  3. board — a committee
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. land — to come down
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. land — a country
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bat — the animal
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. land — ground
  24. hide — animal skin

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