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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. present — the time now
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. present — a gift
  7. suit — clothes
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. land — a country
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. suit — to fit
  12. content — happy
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. suit — in cards
  16. present — there
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. land — ground
  20. pit — a hole
  21. land — to come down
  22. plane — a tool
  23. pit — in a race
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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