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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: content · rest · key · pass · ground · bark · can · squash

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. bark — to shout
  3. can — a tin
  4. rest — a break
  5. ground — the earth
  6. rest — what's left
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. key — in music
  9. ground — crushed
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. squash — to crush
  12. rest — what's left
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. squash — the sport
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. content — the amount
  18. key — for a lock
  19. key — the most important part
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. ground — a position
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. pass — a permit
  24. content — happy

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