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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
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: tube · cue · pass · mark · foot · present · bass · content

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. foot — a measure
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. present — there
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. bass — low music
  8. content — happy
  9. present — a gift
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. mark — a grade
  12. cue — a signal
  13. mark — a trace
  14. cue — a hint
  15. tube — the underground
  16. bass — the fish
  17. pass — a permit
  18. cue — for pool
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. tube — a container
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. content — the amount

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