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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. content — happy
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. file — a line of people
  11. pop — soda
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. rule — government
  14. stem — to come from
  15. rule — a law
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. file — a document
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. content — the amount
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. pop — music
  23. file — a tool
  24. pop — to visit

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