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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 116 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: sharp · ball · bore · pass · perch · mine · stand · wake

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. mine — for digging
  4. stand — to bear
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. bore — to drill
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. ball — a dance
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. wake — a trail
  13. perch — the fish
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. ball — a great time
  21. sharp — clever
  22. bore — to tire
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. mine — belonging to me

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