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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. spell — letters
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. suit — to fit
  5. lie — to recline
  6. suit — clothes
  7. content — happy
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. rock — music
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. suit — in cards
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. rock — a stone
  16. cap — a lid
  17. cap — a hat
  18. spell — magic
  19. cap — of ice
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. content — the amount
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. spell — a short time
  24. vault — a safe

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