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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bear · pop · mine · stock · pass · suit · snap · perch

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. stock — goods
  5. pop — to visit
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. suit — clothes
  8. perch — the fish
  9. stock — shares
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bear — the animal
  13. pop — music
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bear — the animal
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. mine — for digging
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. snap — to click
  20. suit — in cards
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pop — soda
  24. pass — a permit

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