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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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. can — to be able to
  5. can — a tin
  6. pitch — completely
  7. mate — a partner
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. content — happy
  10. content — the amount
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. fork — in a road
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. can — a tin
  17. ball — a great time
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. mate — to breed
  20. band — a ring
  21. band — a music group
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. mate — a friend

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