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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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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: hand · bear · mate · perch · pass · bay · foot · arm

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bear — the animal
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. hand — in cards
  6. perch — the fish
  7. foot — a measure
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. mate — to breed
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. hand — help
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. mate — a friend
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. pass — a permit
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. pass — to succeed

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