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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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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: wave · perch · pass · clip · hide · fall · ball · ruler

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. ball — a great time
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. clip — for paper
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. clip — a video
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. fall — to drop
  15. clip — to cut
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. ball — a dance
  18. pass — a permit
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. fall — the season
  22. perch — the fish
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. fall — to drop

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