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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 116 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
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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: board · chair · saw · current · mate · pit · perch · lie

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. board — a committee
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. mate — a friend
  7. current — of water
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — the fish
  10. current — electric
  11. mate — to breed
  12. saw — the tool
  13. mate — a partner
  14. pit — in a race
  15. chair — a leader
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. pit — a hole
  20. lie — to recline
  21. current — happening now
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. board — to get on
  24. saw — past of 'see'

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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