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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: mine · can · object · pass · foot · stock · perch · board

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. mine — for digging
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. pass — a permit
  8. can — to be able to
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. object — an aim
  11. object — to protest
  12. foot — a measure
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. board — to get on
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. object — a thing
  17. stock — shares
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. can — a tin
  20. stock — goods
  21. can — a tin
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. perch — the fish
  24. board — a committee

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