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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: perch · toast · track · jam · temple · pass · can · calf

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — a tin
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. track — to keep track
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. pass — a permit
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. track — a song
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. toast — bread
  18. can — to be able to
  19. perch — the fish
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. track — a path
  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