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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: land · fine · pass · content · can · scale · mouse · cell

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. cell — a phone
  3. can — a tin
  4. fine — high quality
  5. cell — in biology
  6. land — to come down
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. content — the amount
  10. land — ground
  11. scale — in music
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. can — to be able to
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. land — a country
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pass — a permit
  21. scale — size or range
  22. content — happy
  23. fine — all right
  24. can — a tin

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