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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. can — to be able to
  4. ball — a dance
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. content — happy
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. lie — to recline
  10. present — a gift
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — a tin
  13. swing — music
  14. swing — in golf
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. swing — to play on
  17. present — the time now
  18. present — there
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. bay — a horse colour

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