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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 · pop · deal · pass · safe · bat · content · hide

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. deal — to handle
  3. content — happy
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. perch — the fish
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. pop — soda
  11. pass — a permit
  12. bat — the animal
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. pop — to visit
  17. pop — music
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. safe — a strongbox

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