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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.

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: spell · pass · cue · perch · leaves · hand · drill · stick

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. spell — magic
  6. hand — in cards
  7. drill — army training
  8. drill — the tool
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. pass — a permit
  16. hand — help
  17. cue — for pool
  18. drill — a practice
  19. spell — a short time
  20. cue — a hint
  21. spell — letters
  22. cue — a signal
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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