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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: bank · perch · pass · suit · leaves · spring · court · game

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. pass — a permit
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. perch — the fish
  5. court — of law
  6. bank — of a river
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. suit — clothes
  9. bank — for money
  10. spring — a coil
  11. game — wild animals
  12. court — for sport
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. game — a match
  16. spring — of water
  17. suit — to fit
  18. court — of a king
  19. bank — for money
  20. spring — the season
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. pass — to spend time

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