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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. swing — in golf
  4. content — the amount
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rock — a stone
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. swing — music
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — a break
  15. content — happy
  16. rock — music
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. swing — to play on
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. content — videos and posts

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