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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 120 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: fine · pass · perch · suit · hand · ground · calf · rush

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. pass — a permit
  3. fine — all right
  4. ground — the earth
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. hand — in cards
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. suit — to fit
  14. rush — hurry
  15. ground — a position
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. perch — the fish
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. suit — in cards
  21. fine — high quality
  22. hand — help
  23. ground — crushed
  24. suit — clothes

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