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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: march · bear · content · lash · bowl · rock · pit · dip

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. pit — in a race
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. pit — a hole
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. content — happy
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. content — the amount
  16. rock — a stone
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. march — the month
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. march — the month
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. march — music
  23. dip — to sink
  24. bear — the animal

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