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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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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: suit · foot · content · cold · race · bank · jam · pass

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. bank — for money
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. cold — not warm
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. race — the arms race
  7. content — the amount
  8. pass — a permit
  9. content — happy
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. bank — of a river
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. suit — to fit
  14. race — a contest
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. suit — clothes
  17. cold — an illness
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. bank — for money
  21. suit — in cards
  22. race — humankind
  23. foot — a measure
  24. cold — the Cold War

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