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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. date — the fruit
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wake — a trail
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. lie — to recline
  14. wound — an injury
  15. perch — the fish
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. stand — to bear
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. perch — for a bird

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