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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: pass · foot · perch · trunk · bear · jam · march · present

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. march — the month
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. present — a gift
  6. pass — a permit
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. foot — a measure
  9. march — the month
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. present — there
  14. present — the time now
  15. bear — the animal
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. bear — the animal
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. march — music
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — 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