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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wind · snap · pound · perch · swing · pass

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. swing — to play on
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. swing — music
  6. swing — in golf
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. pound — a weight
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. wind — moving air
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. perch — the fish
  15. wind — moving air
  16. snap — to click
  17. pass — a permit
  18. snap — to snap out of it

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