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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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Word bank
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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: band · court · perch · present · suit · pit · pass · bear

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. suit — to fit
  5. court — for sport
  6. pit — in a race
  7. pass — a permit
  8. suit — in cards
  9. present — the time now
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. court — of law
  13. perch — the fish
  14. bear — the animal
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. band — a ring
  17. bear — the animal
  18. present — a gift
  19. suit — clothes
  20. present — there
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. court — of a king
  23. band — a music group
  24. pit — a hole

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