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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: toast · pit · sharp · rash · jam · cap · wound · content

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. cap — a hat
  4. content — happy
  5. sharp — clever
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. content — the amount
  10. pit — a hole
  11. cap — of ice
  12. wound — an injury
  13. rash — hasty
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. wound — an injury
  16. rash — a series
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. pit — in a race
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. cap — a lid
  23. toast — bread
  24. toast — the most admired

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