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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: clip · race · foot · perch · can · bore · board · bay

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. perch — the fish
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — a tin
  7. race — humankind
  8. can — to be able to
  9. clip — a video
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. board — a committee
  12. board — to get on
  13. race — the arms race
  14. clip — for paper
  15. clip — to cut
  16. foot — a measure
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bore — to tire
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. race — a contest
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. bore — to drill

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