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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: pass · mark · bat · track · stick · drill · perch · can

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. perch — the fish
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. pass — a permit
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. can — a tin
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. track — a path
  11. mark — a trace
  12. drill — a practice
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. bat — the animal
  15. can — a tin
  16. track — a song
  17. track — to keep track
  18. can — to be able to
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. drill — the tool
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. mark — a grade

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