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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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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: bay · rock · arm · rash · race · board · fine · perch

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. race — a contest
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. rock — a stone
  10. race — the arms race
  11. race — humankind
  12. fine — all right
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. rash — hasty
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. rock — music
  17. perch — the fish
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. board — a committee
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. board — to get on
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. rash — a series

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