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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: bulb · bass · nail · fine · pop · perch · tear · pass

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bass — the fish
  5. pass — a permit
  6. fine — high quality
  7. pop — to visit
  8. pop — soda
  9. tear — to rip
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bulb — for light
  12. tear — from crying
  13. pop — music
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. fine — all right
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. tear — from crying
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bulb — for light
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. bass — low music
  24. fine — a penalty

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