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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: fan · rock · cap · spell · content · rush · date · bound

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. rush — hurry
  3. rock — a stone
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. date — the fruit
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. bound — obliged
  10. content — happy
  11. spell — a short time
  12. cap — a lid
  13. content — the amount
  14. cap — a hat
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. spell — magic
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. bound — certain
  19. bound — tied together
  20. cap — of ice
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. rock — music
  24. rock — to move gently

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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