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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — a permit
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. firm — steady
  6. chair — a leader
  7. kid — to tease
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. kid — child
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. wake — a trail
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. firm — decided
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. firm — a company
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. patient — a sick person

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