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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: content · bark · wave · fine · perch · pass · cabinet · drill

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. fine — high quality
  3. content — happy
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. perch — the fish
  6. drill — the tool
  7. drill — a practice
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. pass — a permit
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. content — the amount
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. bark — to shout
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. drill — army training
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. fine — all right
  24. cabinet — ministers

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