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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 120 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: mark · board · perch · ground · fine · pass · pop · march

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. ground — crushed
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pop — music
  5. mark — a trace
  6. pop — soda
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. pass — a permit
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. board — a committee
  11. march — music
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. board — to get on
  15. ground — the earth
  16. fine — all right
  17. march — the month
  18. perch — the fish
  19. fine — high quality
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. mark — a grade
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. ground — a position

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