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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. content — happy
  3. kick — in football
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. suit — clothes
  6. pass — a permit
  7. cell — in biology
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fine — all right
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. suit — in cards
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. content — the amount
  20. roll — a list
  21. roll — a cake
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. suit — to fit
  24. racket — for tennis

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