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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: pound · rule · perch · fan · pass · stand · drill · suit

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. rule — government
  3. stand — to bear
  4. pound — a weight
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. suit — to fit
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. drill — army training
  10. suit — clothes
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. perch — the fish
  14. pass — a permit
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. drill — the tool
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. suit — in cards
  21. drill — a practice
  22. rule — a law
  23. rule — to rule out
  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