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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: land · mate · chair · press · spring · wave · board · perch

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. perch — the fish
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. mate — a friend
  5. land — a country
  6. press — newspapers
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. spring — a coil
  9. mate — to breed
  10. chair — a leader
  11. spring — the season
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. board — to get on
  14. land — ground
  15. land — to come down
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. press — a publisher
  18. board — a committee
  19. mate — a partner
  20. spring — of water
  21. press — to push
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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