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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: mouse · perch · pass · wave · club · date · bark · fine

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. club — for golf
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bark — to shout
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. club — a group
  11. date — the fruit
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. pass — a permit
  15. club — for dancing
  16. fine — high quality
  17. perch — the fish
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. fine — all right
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. pass — to succeed

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