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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. can — a tin
  6. charge — in control
  7. march — the month
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. hand — help
  11. bark — to shout
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. march — music
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. charge — a price
  18. bulb — for light
  19. perch — the fish
  20. bulb — for light
  21. can — to be able to
  22. march — the month
  23. can — a tin
  24. hand — in cards

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