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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 120 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 · saw · pass · rush · foot · march

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. saw — the tool
  3. march — the month
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. foot — a measure
  6. march — music
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. content — the amount
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. saw — the tool
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. pass — a permit
  14. rush — hurry
  15. content — happy
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. rush — to hurry

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