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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: perch · board · rest · coach · roll · object · bear · bank

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. rest — a break
  3. roll — a list
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — for money
  7. board — to get on
  8. object — an aim
  9. perch — the fish
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. object — a thing
  14. rest — what's left
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. board — a committee
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bank — of a river
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. object — to protest
  22. roll — a cake
  23. rest — what's left
  24. coach — a trainer

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