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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: object · pass · hide · bulb · stand · bear · foot · perch

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pass — a permit
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. object — an aim
  10. bulb — for light
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. bulb — for light
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. foot — a measure
  18. bear — the animal
  19. perch — the fish
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. object — to protest
  23. object — a thing
  24. stand — for spectators

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