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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. fall — to drop
  5. content — the amount
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. pass — a permit
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. fall — to drop
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. toast — bread
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. fall — the season
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cap — a lid
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. cap — of ice
  20. rock — a stone
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. content — happy
  23. cap — a hat
  24. pass — to succeed

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