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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: root · cap · pass · arm · bark · perch · bass · game

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. cap — a lid
  5. root — the cause
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. root — of a word
  10. cap — of ice
  11. cap — a hat
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. bass — low music
  14. game — a match
  15. root — of a plant
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bark — to shout
  18. pass — a permit
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. perch — the fish
  22. game — wild animals
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. bass — the fish

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