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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. suit — in cards
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. can — a tin
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. can — a tin
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. cell — in biology
  12. can — to be able to
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pass — a permit
  15. cell — a phone
  16. suit — to fit
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. suit — clothes
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. content — happy
  24. coach — a trainer

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