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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.

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: board · bear · roll · perch · march · can · toast · mate

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. march — the month
  3. roll — a cake
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. bear — the animal
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. mate — a partner
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. board — to get on
  10. can — a tin
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. perch — the fish
  13. mate — to breed
  14. bear — the animal
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. toast — bread
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. mate — a friend
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — to be able to
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. board — a committee
  23. roll — a list
  24. march — music

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