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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: firm · root · present · perch · scale · pass · bass · land

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. firm — a company
  4. root — of a plant
  5. perch — the fish
  6. land — a country
  7. scale — in music
  8. firm — steady
  9. bass — low music
  10. root — the cause
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. present — there
  14. present — the time now
  15. land — ground
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. land — to come down
  18. firm — decided
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. root — of a word
  21. bass — the fish
  22. scale — size or range
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. present — a gift

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