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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: foot · perch · nail · bay · mate · pass · straw · fan

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — the fish
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. mate — a friend
  5. pass — a permit
  6. foot — a measure
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. mate — to breed
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. mate — a partner
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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