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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: lie · bore · perch · track · board · chest · swing · court

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. perch — the fish
  3. chest — a box
  4. track — a path
  5. track — a song
  6. lie — to recline
  7. court — of a king
  8. swing — in golf
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. board — to get on
  11. chest — of your body
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. swing — music
  14. bore — to tire
  15. chest — of your body
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. swing — to play on
  18. board — a committee
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. court — for sport
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. court — of law
  24. track — to keep track

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