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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: scale · saw · track · wound · pass · lie · perch · pit

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. lie — to recline
  3. wound — an injury
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. track — a path
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. saw — the tool
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. scale — size or range
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. scale — in music
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. wound — an injury
  15. pit — a hole
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. pit — in a race
  18. pass — a permit
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. track — to keep track
  21. saw — the tool
  22. track — a song
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. perch — the fish

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