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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.

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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: perch · bore · tear · board · vault · mug · bay · rash

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. tear — to rip
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. rash — a series
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. tear — from crying
  9. bore — to tire
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. tear — from crying
  12. vault — a safe
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. board — a committee
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. mug — a cup
  17. rash — hasty
  18. mug — a face
  19. bore — to drill
  20. mug — to rob
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. perch — the fish

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