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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.

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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. ball — a great time
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. can — to be able to
  5. bear — the animal
  6. staff — employees
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. pit — in a race
  10. swing — to play on
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. pit — a hole
  13. can — a tin
  14. content — the amount
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. kick — in football
  17. content — happy
  18. swing — in golf
  19. can — a tin
  20. swing — music
  21. staff — a stick
  22. staff — employees
  23. bear — the animal
  24. kick — a thrill

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