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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: craft · march · bear · perch · suit · pop · pass · shower

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. pop — music
  4. pass — a permit
  5. march — the month
  6. march — music
  7. bear — the animal
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. pop — to visit
  11. craft — boats
  12. bear — the animal
  13. shower — to wash
  14. perch — the fish
  15. pop — soda
  16. suit — in cards
  17. shower — rain
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. suit — clothes
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. suit — to fit
  24. craft — a skill

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