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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · board · ruler · chair · last · bay · mine · season

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. chair — a leader
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. last — finally
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. season — in sport
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. mine — for digging
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. last — final
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. board — to get on
  20. board — a committee
  21. last — to go on
  22. perch — the fish
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. season — of the year

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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