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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. row — to paddle
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. foot — a measure
  5. mate — to breed
  6. suit — to fit
  7. ball — a dance
  8. content — the amount
  9. suit — in cards
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. row — a line
  12. mate — a friend
  13. chip — to eat
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. content — happy
  16. mate — a partner
  17. chip — for betting
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. suit — clothes
  22. season — in sport
  23. ball — a great time
  24. season — of the year

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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