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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.

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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: cell · firm · hide · foot · bear · perch · band · board

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. firm — steady
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. perch — the fish
  10. cell — in biology
  11. firm — decided
  12. bear — the animal
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. board — a committee
  16. bear — the animal
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. band — a music group
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. band — a ring
  22. firm — a company
  23. cell — a phone
  24. board — to get on

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