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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: perch · fine · hide · pass · bay · rule · wound · bulb

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. perch — the fish
  6. rule — a law
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bulb — for light
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. pass — a permit
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. rule — government
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. fine — high quality
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. wound — an injury

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