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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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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 · nail · perch · swing · mate · bay · pitcher · wind

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — the fish
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. mate — a friend
  10. swing — music
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. pass — a permit
  16. swing — to play on
  17. mate — a partner
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. wind — moving air
  20. mate — to breed
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. swing — in golf
  24. wind — moving air

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