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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: hand · pass · content · lean · track · dip · deal · mug

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. hand — help
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. content — the amount
  6. track — to keep track
  7. track — a path
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. mug — to rob
  10. mug — a face
  11. hand — in cards
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. content — happy
  18. dip — to sink
  19. track — a song
  20. lean — to bend
  21. deal — to handle
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. mug — a cup
  24. lean — thin

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