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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: object · pass · leaves · calf · pound · degree · perch · bear

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. object — to protest
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pound — a weight
  8. perch — the fish
  9. degree — from a university
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. degree — an amount
  12. object — a thing
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. degree — temperature
  17. bear — the animal
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. object — an aim
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. pound — to hit hard

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