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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: row · content · bear · pass · scale · charge · chest · bay

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. chest — a box
  5. content — the amount
  6. chest — of your body
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. scale — size or range
  9. charge — in control
  10. bear — the animal
  11. row — a line
  12. charge — electricity
  13. content — happy
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. scale — in music
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. chest — of your body
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. row — to paddle
  21. charge — a price
  22. bear — the animal
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. pass — a permit

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