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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: board · suit · cap · land · press · wake · perch · toast

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. wake — a trail
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. suit — clothes
  5. land — to come down
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. perch — the fish
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — in cards
  11. cap — of ice
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. land — a country
  14. press — to push
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. press — a publisher
  17. cap — a hat
  18. land — ground
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. press — newspapers
  21. cap — a lid
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. board — to get on
  24. toast — bread

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