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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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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. content — happy
  11. pass — a permit
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. perch — the fish
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. prune — to trim
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. content — the amount
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bass — low music
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bear — the animal
  24. prune — to trim

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