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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: tube · spell · content · scale · pop · pass · fan · deal

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. pop — to visit
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. content — the amount
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. pass — a permit
  8. spell — letters
  9. pop — music
  10. scale — in music
  11. spell — magic
  12. spell — a short time
  13. deal — to handle
  14. scale — size or range
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. tube — the underground
  19. content — happy
  20. pop — soda
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. tube — a container
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. pass — to succeed

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