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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: pass · perch · content · wake · leaves · file · pit · snap

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pit — in a race
  8. file — a line of people
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. file — a tool
  11. perch — the fish
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. file — a document
  14. wake — a trail
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. pit — a hole
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. content — the amount
  21. snap — to click
  22. content — happy
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. leaves — to go away

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