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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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. object — an aim
  4. bat — the animal
  5. capital — a city
  6. stand — to bear
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. season — in sport
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. capital — money
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. pass — a permit
  13. object — a thing
  14. perch — the fish
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. vault — a safe
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. season — of the year
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. object — to protest
  24. season — to add flavour

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