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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 116 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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  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. season — to add flavour
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bear — the animal
  4. mark — a grade
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. content — happy
  8. present — a gift
  9. season — of the year
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. mark — a trace
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. present — the time now
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. season — in sport
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. present — there
  22. content — the amount
  23. bear — the animal
  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