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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. roll — a cake
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. roll — a list
  6. rock — a stone
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pitch — completely
  9. content — the amount
  10. content — happy
  11. pass — a permit
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. squash — to crush
  14. rock — music
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. squash — the sport
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. rash — hasty
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. pitch — a sports field

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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