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

Word bank: perch · foot · chair · bear · dip · track · club · board

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. foot — a measure
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. track — a song
  5. perch — the fish
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. track — a path
  8. board — to get on
  9. club — for golf
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. bear — the animal
  15. club — a group
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. track — to keep track
  18. board — a committee
  19. chair — a leader
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. bear — the animal
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. dip — to sink
  24. perch — for a bird

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