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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. rush — hurry
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. mark — a trace
  8. mark — a grade
  9. kick — in football
  10. march — music
  11. march — the month
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. lie — to recline
  14. content — the amount
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. content — happy
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. march — the month
  22. pass — a permit
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. mouse — the animal

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