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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. capital — money
  7. toast — bread
  8. content — happy
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. content — the amount
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. pass — a permit
  16. lie — to recline
  17. capital — a city
  18. pound — for dogs

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