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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stem — to come from
  4. bear — the animal
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. content — happy
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. perch — the fish
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. fine — high quality
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. fine — all right
  22. content — the amount
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — to put up with

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