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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: coach · perch · game · pit · foot · deal · bound · board

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. board — to get on
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bound — certain
  5. game — wild animals
  6. pit — in a race
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. foot — a measure
  10. perch — the fish
  11. bound — tied together
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. game — a match
  20. pit — a hole
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. bound — obliged
  23. deal — to handle
  24. board — a committee

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