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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. last — finally
  3. charge — electricity
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. tube — a container
  6. pass — a permit
  7. cue — a signal
  8. march — the month
  9. charge — in control
  10. last — final
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. content — happy
  13. prune — to trim
  14. tube — the underground
  15. last — to go on
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. prune — to trim
  18. charge — a price
  19. march — the month
  20. cue — for pool
  21. content — the amount
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. cue — a hint
  24. march — music

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