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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: deal · perch · rush · pit · lean · pass · bore · bay

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  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. pass — a permit
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. perch — the fish
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. bore — to tire
  8. rush — hurry
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. pit — a hole
  11. lean — thin
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. lean — to bend
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bore — to drill
  21. pit — in a race
  22. deal — to handle
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  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