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

Word bank: hide · perch · wound · chair · rule · calf · board · mark

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. board — a committee
  7. wound — an injury
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. wound — an injury
  10. chair — a leader
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. perch — the fish
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. board — to get on
  17. mark — a grade
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. mark — a trace
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. rule — government
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. rule — a law

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