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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.

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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 · stock · content · clip · file · pit · rush · cap

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. content — the amount
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. file — a tool
  5. cap — of ice
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. pit — a hole
  8. cap — a lid
  9. stock — goods
  10. stock — shares
  11. clip — a video
  12. file — a document
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rush — hurry
  15. content — happy
  16. cap — a hat
  17. clip — to cut
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. file — a line of people
  22. clip — for paper
  23. pass — a permit
  24. rush — a thrill

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