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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: bank · jam · capital · safe · pit · perch · pass · fan

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bank — of a river
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. pit — a hole
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. bank — for money
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. perch — the fish
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bank — for money
  16. capital — a city
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. pit — in a race
  21. capital — money
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. safe — a strongbox

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