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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: calf · bass · root · board · perch · pit · pass · bowl

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. pit — a hole
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. perch — the fish
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pass — a permit
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. root — of a plant
  14. pit — in a race
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. root — of a word
  18. bass — low music
  19. bass — the fish
  20. root — the cause
  21. board — to get on
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. board — a committee
  24. bowl — a dish

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