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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: chair · tear · pass · bore · wave · perch · lash · ball

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pass — a permit
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. ball — a dance
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. bore — to drill
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. tear — from crying
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ball — a great time
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. chair — a leader
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. tear — to rip
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. tear — from crying
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — the fish
  23. bore — to tire
  24. wave — of the sea

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