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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 120 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: perch · leaves · kick · stand · court · mug · mate · pass

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. mug — to rob
  3. mug — a cup
  4. court — for sport
  5. kick — in football
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. perch — the fish
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. mate — a partner
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. mate — a friend
  14. mug — a face
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. mate — to breed
  17. pass — a permit
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. court — of a king
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. court — of law
  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