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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. cue — a hint
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. content — the amount
  5. ball — a great time
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. cue — a signal
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. key — the most important part
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. key — in music
  14. content — happy
  15. ball — a dance
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. cue — for pool
  19. key — for a lock
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. fine — all right
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. fine — high quality

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