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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: roll · perch · bay · kick · pass · branch · drill · content

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. branch — a division
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. drill — a practice
  5. content — happy
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. roll — a list
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. drill — army training
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. roll — a cake
  12. content — the amount
  13. drill — the tool
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. perch — the fish
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. kick — in football
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. kick — with a leg

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