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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. perch — the fish
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. craft — a skill
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. bass — the fish
  11. bark — to shout
  12. pass — a permit
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bass — low music
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. craft — boats
  18. pass — to spend time

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