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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. wound — an injury
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. band — a music group
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. perch — the fish
  8. key — the most important part
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. roll — a list
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. pass — a permit
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. roll — a cake
  20. band — a ring
  21. key — in music
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. key — for a lock
  24. wound — an injury

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