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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: pass · pop · mark · perch · spring · club · ruler · field

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. pop — music
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. mark — a grade
  6. spring — of water
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. mark — a trace
  9. club — a group
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. club — for golf
  12. pop — soda
  13. spring — the season
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. club — for dancing
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. perch — the fish
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pass — a permit
  21. field — farmland
  22. field — for sport
  23. field — a subject
  24. spring — a coil

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