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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. mug — a cup
  5. content — the amount
  6. rash — a series
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. face — part of the head
  10. face — to point toward
  11. mug — a face
  12. current — electric
  13. lean — thin
  14. pass — a permit
  15. current — happening now
  16. rash — hasty
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. face — to confront
  19. lean — to bend
  20. current — of water
  21. content — happy
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. tube — a container
  24. mug — to rob

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