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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
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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: perch · toast · plane · bore · lie · scale · pit · board

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. board — a committee
  5. board — to get on
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bore — to drill
  8. plane — a tool
  9. scale — in music
  10. lie — to recline
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. scale — size or range
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. pit — in a race
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. perch — the fish
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. pit — a hole
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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