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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: pop · pass · sharp · content · rock · stand · perch · temple

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. stand — to bear
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. content — the amount
  6. rock — a stone
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pass — a permit
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. pop — soda
  14. pop — music
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. sharp — clever
  18. perch — the fish
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. pop — to visit
  24. rock — music

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