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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. perch — the fish
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wound — an injury
  6. rash — hasty
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. stand — to bear
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. track — a path
  16. track — to keep track
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. rash — a series
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. pass — a permit
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. track — a song

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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