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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: hand · suit · kick · mate · content · key

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. kick — in football
  3. suit — in cards
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. key — the most important part
  6. content — happy
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. suit — to fit
  9. key — in music
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. key — for a lock
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. mate — a partner
  14. hand — in cards
  15. hand — help
  16. mate — to breed
  17. suit — clothes
  18. content — the amount

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