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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 120 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: straw · pit · pass · safe · perch · root · pound · cold

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. root — of a plant
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pass — a permit
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pit — a hole
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. perch — the fish
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. cold — an illness
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. root — the cause
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. pound — a weight
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. cold — not warm
  24. root — of a word

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