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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: content · pop · perch · chest · bulb · stand · mark · fine

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. content — the amount
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. bulb — for light
  8. pop — soda
  9. pop — to visit
  10. fine — all right
  11. stand — to bear
  12. mark — a trace
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. mark — a grade
  15. pop — music
  16. perch — the fish
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. chest — a box
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. chest — of your body
  22. chest — of your body
  23. content — happy
  24. bulb — for light

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