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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. can — a tin
  4. race — the arms race
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. can — to be able to
  8. club — for golf
  9. content — happy
  10. scale — in music
  11. content — the amount
  12. toast — bread
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. can — a tin
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. race — humankind
  18. club — a group
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. scale — size or range
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. club — for dancing
  23. race — a contest
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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