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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
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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: jam · coach · pass · perch · content · mark · wound · object

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. object — an aim
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. content — the amount
  8. content — happy
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. object — a thing
  11. mark — a grade
  12. perch — the fish
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. mark — a trace
  17. wound — an injury
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. object — to protest

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