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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: wake · board · pass · cabinet · perch · bear · roll · jam

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. board — to get on
  3. bear — the animal
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. roll — a list
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. board — a committee
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. roll — a cake
  17. pass — a permit
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. wake — a trail
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. board — a flat piece

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