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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — the fish
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. wound — an injury
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bound — certain
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. bound — obliged
  11. wound — an injury
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. pass — a permit
  16. suit — in cards
  17. tube — the underground
  18. tube — a container
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. suit — clothes
  21. shower — to wash
  22. shower — rain
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. bound — tied together

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