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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: pitcher · craft · pass · tube · perch · mate · suit · bound

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. mate — a friend
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. tube — a container
  6. suit — clothes
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. craft — a skill
  9. bound — obliged
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. pass — a permit
  12. bound — certain
  13. mate — to breed
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bound — tied together
  17. tube — the underground
  18. mate — a partner
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. craft — boats
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. suit — in cards
  24. craft — a handicraft

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