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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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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: content · march · perch · firm · stand · board · ruler · squash

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. board — to get on
  4. content — happy
  5. perch — the fish
  6. content — the amount
  7. squash — to crush
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. firm — steady
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stand — to bear
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. march — the month
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. firm — decided
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. firm — a company
  20. squash — the sport
  21. board — a committee
  22. march — music
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. board — a flat piece

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