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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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. cap — a lid
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. cap — of ice
  8. band — a ring
  9. band — a music group
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. pass — a permit
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. content — the amount
  14. saw — the tool
  15. content — happy
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. row — to paddle
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. cap — a hat
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. saw — the tool
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. trunk — of a car

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