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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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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: pass · perch · rest · bound · prune · wave · press · bass

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. pass — a permit
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. rest — a break
  5. bound — certain
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. press — to push
  10. bass — low music
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bound — tied together
  15. perch — the fish
  16. press — newspapers
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. bass — the fish
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. prune — to trim
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. press — a publisher
  24. prune — to trim

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