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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: pass · content · kid · racket · fine · tube · jam · chair

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. content — the amount
  6. fine — high quality
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. kid — child
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. kid — to tease
  13. fine — all right
  14. tube — the underground
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. tube — a container
  18. chair — a leader
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. content — happy
  22. pass — a permit
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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