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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 116 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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. bound — certain
  5. bound — tied together
  6. content — happy
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bound — obliged
  14. content — the amount
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. fork — in a road
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. row — to paddle
  21. pitch — completely
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. pass — a permit
  24. rush — hurry

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