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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: pass · hide · board · rule · content · pitcher · tube · mouse

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. rule — a law
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. board — to get on
  13. content — the amount
  14. content — happy
  15. tube — a container
  16. tube — the underground
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. rule — government
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. pass — a permit
  24. board — a committee

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