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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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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: cabinet · land · pass · content · snap · trunk · pit · track

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. pit — a hole
  3. content — the amount
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. track — a song
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. land — a country
  8. land — ground
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. track — a path
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. snap — to click
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pass — a permit
  18. content — happy
  19. track — to keep track
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. pit — in a race
  24. cabinet — ministers

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