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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: tube · pit · bound · bay · pass · perch · swing · temple

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. pass — a permit
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. swing — in golf
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. tube — a container
  7. swing — music
  8. bound — tied together
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. pit — in a race
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. swing — to play on
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. pit — a hole
  16. bound — certain
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. bound — obliged
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — the fish
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. bay — a horse colour

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