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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: net · wave · perch · content · mouse · bay · bark · safe

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  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. mouse — for a computer
  2. content — the amount
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bark — to shout
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. net — after costs
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. perch — the fish
  15. net — for catching
  16. content — happy
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. net — in sport
  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