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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: stick · stand · temple · game · bear · perch · pass · hand

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. game — a match
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — the fish
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. hand — help
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. bear — the animal
  15. game — wild animals
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bear — the animal
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. hand — in cards
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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