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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 120 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: lean · board · mouse · perch · capital · hide · cabinet · mate

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. mate — to breed
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. capital — a city
  7. mate — a friend
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. board — a committee
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. lean — to bend
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. capital — money
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mate — a partner
  20. perch — the fish
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. board — to get on
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. lean — thin

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