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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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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 · present · race · bear · deal · fan · pass

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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. bear — to put up with
  4. bank — for money
  5. present — a gift
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. present — the time now
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. race — a contest
  12. perch — the fish
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bank — of a river
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. present — there
  18. bank — for money
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. deal — to handle
  21. race — humankind
  22. race — the arms race
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. fan — a supporter

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