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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: calf · rest · lean · bear · cell · perch · pound · pass

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. pass — a permit
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. rest — what's left
  14. perch — the fish
  15. lean — thin
  16. lean — to bend
  17. rest — a break
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. bear — the animal
  20. cell — in biology
  21. pound — a weight
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. cell — a phone
  24. calf — of the leg

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