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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.

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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 · hide · stick · pass · court · ground · suit · cap

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. court — for sport
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. ground — the earth
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. court — of a king
  8. cap — a lid
  9. content — happy
  10. cap — a hat
  11. ground — crushed
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. cap — of ice
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. ground — a position
  17. pass — a permit
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. suit — clothes
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. suit — in cards
  22. court — of law
  23. suit — to fit
  24. content — the amount

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