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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. rock — a stone
  5. content — the amount
  6. pass — a permit
  7. content — happy
  8. suit — to fit
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. toast — bread
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. mark — a trace
  15. scale — in music
  16. rock — music
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — in cards
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. mark — a grade
  22. scale — size or range
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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