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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bear — the animal
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. charge — a price
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. perch — the fish
  9. bass — low music
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. content — happy
  12. content — the amount
  13. suit — in cards
  14. scale — size or range
  15. scale — in music
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. bear — the animal
  18. suit — to fit
  19. mark — a trace
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. mark — a grade
  22. bass — the fish
  23. charge — in control
  24. charge — electricity

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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