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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: content · present · capital · pass · safe · bulb · mine · cue

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. present — a gift
  3. cue — a hint
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. present — there
  6. capital — money
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. bulb — for light
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. present — the time now
  14. cue — a signal
  15. content — happy
  16. cue — for pool
  17. content — the amount
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. mine — for digging
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bulb — for light
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. capital — a city

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