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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. tube — the underground
  5. mark — a trace
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. lean — thin
  8. object — an aim
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. tube — a container
  11. mark — a grade
  12. lie — to recline
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. pass — a permit
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. object — to protest
  20. lean — to bend
  21. content — happy
  22. deal — to handle
  23. object — a thing
  24. content — the amount

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