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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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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: chair · board · trunk · present · jam · straw · perch · bowl

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. board — a committee
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. present — there
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. present — a gift
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. perch — the fish
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. board — to get on
  23. chair — a leader
  24. chair — a professorship

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