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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.

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 · board · stem · bat · safe · nail · coach · cap

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. board — a committee
  10. cap — of ice
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. cap — a hat
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. board — to get on
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bat — the animal
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. perch — the fish
  23. cap — a lid
  24. board — a flat piece

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