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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
468
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 · stem · mug · board · bore · object · game · toast

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. game — a match
  4. mug — to rob
  5. game — wild animals
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. board — a committee
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bore — to tire
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. board — to get on
  12. mug — a face
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. toast — bread
  15. object — to protest
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bore — to drill
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. object — a thing
  20. mug — a cup
  21. object — an aim
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. stem — to come from
  24. game — a kind of play

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