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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: rock · pass · pound · kid · mug · perch · fall · leaves

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. pound — a weight
  5. kid — child
  6. fall — the season
  7. rock — a stone
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. pass — a permit
  10. perch — the fish
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. kid — to tease
  14. mug — a cup
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. rock — music
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. fall — to drop
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. fall — to drop
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. mug — a face

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