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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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. swing — music
  3. charge — in control
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. charge — a price
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. swing — to play on
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. saw — the tool
  10. perch — the fish
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. saw — the tool
  13. charge — electricity
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. swing — in golf
  16. content — the amount
  17. pass — a permit
  18. season — of the year
  19. season — in sport
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. content — happy

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