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

Word bank: bear · content · firm · court · bay · pass · toast · bank

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bank — for money
  5. firm — decided
  6. bear — the animal
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. toast — bread
  10. court — of law
  11. court — of a king
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. court — for sport
  14. content — the amount
  15. content — happy
  16. bear — the animal
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pass — a permit
  19. firm — steady
  20. bank — of a river
  21. firm — a company
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bank — for money
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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