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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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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: bound · stem · pit · key · perch · pass · race · bear

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. bear — the animal
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. pit — a hole
  7. key — for a lock
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. bear — the animal
  12. race — humankind
  13. stem — to come from
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. race — a contest
  16. perch — the fish
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. key — the most important part
  20. bound — tied together
  21. key — in music
  22. bound — obliged
  23. race — the arms race
  24. bound — certain

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