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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: board · pitch · shower · arm · bore · content · perch · ruler

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. pitch — completely
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. content — the amount
  6. content — happy
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. board — to get on
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. perch — the fish
  17. shower — rain
  18. bore — to drill
  19. shower — to wash
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. bore — to tire
  23. board — a committee
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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