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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. file — a document
  5. pass — a permit
  6. fall — to drop
  7. drill — the tool
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. club — a group
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. perch — the fish
  12. club — for golf
  13. file — a line of people
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. file — a tool
  16. content — happy
  17. fall — to drop
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. drill — army training
  21. fall — the season
  22. club — for dancing
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. drill — a practice

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