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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 · field · stock · bat · safe · ruler · arm · board

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. perch — the fish
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. board — to get on
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. field — farmland
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. field — a subject
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. stock — goods
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. field — for sport
  22. bat — the animal
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. board — a committee

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