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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: arm · board · bore · bay · perch · bulb · pound · mouse

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bulb — for light
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. board — to get on
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. perch — the fish
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bore — to drill
  21. bulb — for light
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. board — a committee
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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