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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. fine — high quality
  5. content — happy
  6. pass — a permit
  7. bulb — for light
  8. content — the amount
  9. perch — the fish
  10. present — a gift
  11. swing — to play on
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bulb — for light
  16. present — the time now
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. swing — music
  20. fine — all right
  21. present — there
  22. swing — in golf
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. bulb — of a plant

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