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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: squash · content · kick · perch · spell · board · scale · bound

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. kick — in football
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bound — certain
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. squash — to crush
  8. board — a committee
  9. scale — in music
  10. bound — obliged
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. board — to get on
  13. spell — a short time
  14. squash — the sport
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. spell — magic
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. spell — letters
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. scale — size or range
  22. content — happy
  23. content — the amount
  24. bound — tied together

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