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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: present · drill · pass · arm · key · perch · bear · tube

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. key — in music
  3. drill — the tool
  4. bear — the animal
  5. present — a gift
  6. perch — the fish
  7. key — for a lock
  8. tube — a container
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. present — the time now
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bear — the animal
  15. key — the most important part
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. drill — a practice
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. present — there
  20. drill — army training
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. tube — the underground
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. perch — for a bird

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