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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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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 don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. pop — music
  3. sharp — clever
  4. bound — certain
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. season — of the year
  8. perch — the fish
  9. bound — tied together
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bound — obliged
  12. season — in sport
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. mate — to breed
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. pass — a permit
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. mate — a friend
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. mate — a partner
  22. pop — soda
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. perch — for a bird

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