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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: mark · pass · pit · temple · bound · squash · perch · mouse

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. squash — the sport
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mark — a grade
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. perch — the fish
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. bound — obliged
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. mark — a trace
  18. bound — certain
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. squash — to crush
  21. pit — in a race
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. bound — tied together
  24. mouse — the animal

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