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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: mouse · perch · pass · snap · spell · tube · root · stand

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. spell — magic
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. perch — the fish
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. root — of a word
  11. root — the cause
  12. tube — a container
  13. snap — to click
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. spell — a short time
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. stand — to bear
  20. spell — letters
  21. root — of a plant
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. mouse — for a computer

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