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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: saw · rule · pass · arm · perch · stand · fan · bark

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. saw — the tool
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. rule — government
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. perch — the fish
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. stand — to bear
  19. bark — to shout
  20. pass — a permit
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. rule — a law

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