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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.

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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: content · firm · cap · row · pass · bear · pitch · fan

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. firm — a company
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. pitch — completely
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. row — to paddle
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. firm — steady
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. row — a line
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. content — happy
  17. cap — of ice
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. cap — a hat
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. firm — decided
  23. pass — a permit
  24. cap — a lid

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