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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 120 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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. wake — a trail
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. tube — the underground
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. track — a path
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. tube — a container
  16. content — the amount
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. track — to keep track
  21. content — happy
  22. sharp — clever
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. track — a song

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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