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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: temple · perch · cue · wave · pass · stock · bat · can

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. pass — a permit
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bat — the animal
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. cue — a hint
  11. stock — shares
  12. can — to be able to
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. cue — a signal
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. stock — goods
  19. cue — for pool
  20. can — a tin
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. perch — the fish
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bat — in an idiom

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