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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. present — the time now
  8. board — a committee
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. key — in music
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. drill — the tool
  13. key — for a lock
  14. ball — a dance
  15. drill — army training
  16. content — happy
  17. board — to get on
  18. ball — a great time
  19. present — there
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. drill — a practice
  22. content — the amount
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. key — the most important part

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