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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. last — to go on
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. pass — a permit
  5. content — the amount
  6. last — final
  7. content — happy
  8. mug — to rob
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. bulb — for light
  11. tube — a container
  12. race — a contest
  13. race — humankind
  14. last — finally
  15. fall — the season
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. mug — a face
  18. fall — to drop
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. fall — to drop
  22. tube — the underground
  23. race — the arms race
  24. bulb — for light

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