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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. charge — electricity
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. present — a gift
  9. saw — the tool
  10. pass — a permit
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. charge — in control
  15. perch — the fish
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. saw — the tool
  18. charge — a price
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. present — the time now
  22. pound — a weight
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. pass — to spend time

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