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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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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: trunk · rock · cap · content · row · bowl · pass · fine

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. cap — of ice
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. content — the amount
  6. rock — music
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. pass — a permit
  9. cap — a lid
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. fine — high quality
  12. cap — a hat
  13. fine — all right
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. content — happy
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. rock — a stone
  20. row — to paddle
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. row — a quarrel

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