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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: perch · mate · hide · bay · toast · pit · bass · leaves

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. toast — bread
  5. mate — a friend
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. pit — in a race
  9. bass — the fish
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. perch — the fish
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. mate — to breed
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. mate — a partner
  22. pit — a hole
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. hide — to keep secret

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