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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: mug · content · race · track · pass · shower · hide · fork

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. content — the amount
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. shower — rain
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. track — a path
  9. track — a song
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. race — a contest
  15. shower — to wash
  16. pass — a permit
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. track — to keep track
  19. content — happy
  20. race — humankind
  21. fork — in a road
  22. mug — a face
  23. mug — to rob
  24. race — the arms race

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