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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: perch · bank · nail · bulb · bowl · pass · march · leaves

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. perch — the fish
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. pass — a permit
  9. bulb — for light
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bank — for money
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. march — the month
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bank — for money
  23. march — music
  24. march — the month

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