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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. face — part of the head
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. content — happy
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. rest — a break
  8. hand — help
  9. content — the amount
  10. face — to point toward
  11. rest — what's left
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. face — to confront
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — to trim
  18. rest — what's left
  19. vault — a safe
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. pass — a permit
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. hand — in cards

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