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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: racket · bound · leaves · bulb · pass · present · fall · perch

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  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. bound — certain
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. bulb — for light
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. bulb — for light
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. pass — a permit
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fall — to drop
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. present — there
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. fall — the season
  20. present — the time now
  21. bound — tied together
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. present — a gift
  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