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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: content · jam · spell · dip · pass · mark

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. spell — magic
  3. content — the amount
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — a grade
  6. dip — to sink
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. spell — a short time
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. content — happy
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. spell — letters
  17. pass — a permit
  18. dip — to dunk

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