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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: fall · content · pass · rock · arm · last · roll · mug

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. last — final
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. mug — a face
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. fall — to drop
  7. rock — music
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. pass — a permit
  10. last — finally
  11. last — to go on
  12. fall — to drop
  13. mug — to rob
  14. roll — a cake
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. fall — the season
  17. mug — a cup
  18. roll — a list
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. rock — a stone
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. content — the amount
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. content — happy

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