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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. present — a gift
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bark — to shout
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. can — a tin
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. can — a tin
  13. pit — in a race
  14. stand — to bear
  15. can — to be able to
  16. present — there
  17. present — the time now
  18. content — happy
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. pit — a hole
  21. pass — a permit
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bark — of a tree

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