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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 116 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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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: pop · swing · pass · track · snap · lean · perch · cap

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. lean — thin
  4. cap — a hat
  5. swing — to play on
  6. track — a song
  7. pop — to visit
  8. lean — to bend
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. swing — in golf
  11. swing — music
  12. perch — the fish
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. pop — music
  15. track — a path
  16. snap — to click
  17. track — to keep track
  18. pop — soda
  19. cap — a lid
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. pass — a permit
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. pass — to succeed

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