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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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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. snap — to click
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. mug — a cup
  7. bass — the fish
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. content — the amount
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. mug — a face
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. bass — low music
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. mug — to rob
  18. content — happy
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bound — certain
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. bound — tied together
  24. pass — a permit

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