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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 116 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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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: march · perch · present · hand · bay · race · board · hide

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. march — the month
  3. march — the month
  4. present — a gift
  5. present — there
  6. hand — in cards
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. board — to get on
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. march — music
  13. perch — the fish
  14. race — the arms race
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. race — a contest
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. present — the time now
  21. board — a committee
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. hand — help
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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