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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: mug · race · toast · row · pass · cabinet · content · jam

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. row — a line
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. mug — a cup
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. mug — to rob
  8. row — to paddle
  9. pass — a permit
  10. race — humankind
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. toast — bread
  17. content — the amount
  18. mug — a face
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. race — the arms race
  21. content — happy
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. race — a contest

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