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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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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: field · pass · deal · perch · club · wound · bowl · lean

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. club — a group
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. wound — an injury
  5. perch — the fish
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. field — for sport
  8. lean — thin
  9. pass — a permit
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. field — a subject
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. wound — an injury
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. deal — to handle
  17. club — for dancing
  18. field — farmland
  19. club — for golf
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. lean — to bend
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. pass — to spend time

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