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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: cabinet · bark · perch · pass · leaves · charge · jam · bay

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — the fish
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. charge — in control
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. charge — a price
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. pass — a permit
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. charge — electricity
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bark — to shout
  24. leaves — of a tree

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