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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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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 · cue · bat · content · firm · wind · pass · pit

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  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. pit — in a race
  2. wind — moving air
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. firm — decided
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. cue — for pool
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. cue — a signal
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. bat — the animal
  13. content — the amount
  14. wind — moving air
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. cue — a hint
  17. pit — a hole
  18. firm — steady
  19. firm — a company
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. wind — to turn a key
  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