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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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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bear — the animal
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. spell — letters
  7. pass — a permit
  8. stand — to bear
  9. rock — music
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. spell — a short time
  12. bear — the animal
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. spell — magic
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. perch — the fish
  18. rock — a stone

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