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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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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: row · pass · capital · tube · mark · content · wake · sharp

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. pass — a permit
  4. mark — a trace
  5. row — to paddle
  6. tube — a container
  7. row — a line
  8. tube — the underground
  9. capital — a city
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. sharp — clever
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. capital — money
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. wake — a trail
  21. content — happy
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. tube — in a tire

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