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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. capital — money
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. capital — a city
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. perch — the fish
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. capital — a big letter

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