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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: pass · trunk · mine · suit · perch · dip · march · last

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. last — finally
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. mine — for digging
  7. last — to go on
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. dip — to sink
  10. suit — to fit
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. last — final
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. march — the month
  18. march — music
  19. perch — the fish
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. pass — a permit
  23. march — the month
  24. suit — in cards

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