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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. drill — the tool
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. fall — the season
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. mark — a grade
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. drill — army training
  14. mark — a trace
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fall — to drop
  18. content — happy
  19. drill — a practice
  20. perch — the fish
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. content — the amount
  24. perch — for a bird

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