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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: fan · hide · content · sharp · ball · present · bowl · pass

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. present — the time now
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. content — the amount
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. ball — a dance
  8. present — a gift
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. present — there
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. ball — a great time
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. content — happy
  24. pass — a permit

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