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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bear · hand · bass · foot · perch · hide · board · cap

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  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. hand — in cards
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. cap — a lid
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. board — to get on
  6. bear — the animal
  7. perch — the fish
  8. cap — of ice
  9. bass — low music
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. bear — the animal
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. foot — a measure
  14. cap — a hat
  15. hand — help
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bass — the fish
  23. hand — 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