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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: court · stick · bound · board · cap · perch · can · nail

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  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. stick — a piece of wood
  2. can — a tin
  3. court — of a king
  4. can — a tin
  5. bound — obliged
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. court — of law
  9. court — for sport
  10. cap — a lid
  11. bound — certain
  12. perch — the fish
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. cap — of ice
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. cap — a hat
  19. can — to be able to
  20. bound — tied together
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. board — to get on
  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