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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pass · safe · mate · perch · track · board · season · straw

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. track — to keep track
  3. board — a committee
  4. season — of the year
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. mate — a partner
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. season — in sport
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pass — a permit
  13. perch — the fish
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. mate — to breed
  16. track — a path
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. track — a song
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. mate — a friend
  21. board — to get on
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. straw — a straw man

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