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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: bound · board · perch · bat · coach · root · bore · rock

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bat — the animal
  3. rock — a stone
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. root — of a word
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. root — of a plant
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. bore — to tire
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. bound — tied together
  16. root — the cause
  17. board — a committee
  18. board — to get on
  19. rock — music
  20. bound — certain
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bound — obliged
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. perch — the fish

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