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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: perch · pass · bound · current · firm · snap · pop · bank

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. firm — a company
  3. pop — soda
  4. perch — the fish
  5. bank — for money
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. current — happening now
  8. bank — of a river
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. snap — to click
  11. firm — steady
  12. pop — music
  13. bank — for money
  14. current — electric
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. current — of water
  17. firm — decided
  18. bound — obliged
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bound — certain
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. bound — tied together
  23. pop — to visit
  24. perch — for a bird

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