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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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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: track · court · suit · perch · bass · pass · racket · kid

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. court — for sport
  3. perch — the fish
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bass — low music
  6. kid — child
  7. court — of law
  8. court — of a king
  9. bass — the fish
  10. track — a song
  11. suit — in cards
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. track — to keep track
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. pass — a permit
  17. track — a path
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. suit — to fit
  24. kid — to tease

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