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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · jam · roll · rush · row · kick · wake · pass

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. row — a line
  4. kick — in football
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. roll — a list
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. wake — a trail
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. roll — a cake
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. perch — the fish
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. row — to paddle
  24. rush — hurry

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