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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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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: chair · bay · pound · present · pass · trunk · content · mark

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. mark — a trace
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. present — there
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. content — happy
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. pound — a weight
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. chair — a leader
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. present — the time now
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. present — a gift
  21. mark — a grade
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. pass — a permit
  24. trunk — of a car

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