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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. content — happy
  5. content — the amount
  6. stock — shares
  7. staff — employees
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. staff — a stick
  10. court — of a king
  11. court — for sport
  12. staff — employees
  13. stock — goods
  14. lie — to recline
  15. court — of law
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. ball — a great time
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. date — the fruit
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. ball — a dance

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