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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. prune — to trim
  4. board — to get on
  5. perch — the fish
  6. board — a committee
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. pass — a permit
  9. land — to come down
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. bass — the fish
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bass — low music
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. land — a country
  19. bound — tied together
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bound — certain
  24. land — ground

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