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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  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. lean — to bend
  2. content — the amount
  3. present — a gift
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. perch — the fish
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. cue — for pool
  8. lean — thin
  9. face — to confront
  10. cue — a hint
  11. face — part of the head
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. face — to point toward
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. deal — to handle
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. present — the time now
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. present — there
  22. cue — a signal
  23. content — happy
  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