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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rule · date · roll · ball · pitch · coach · content · racket

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. rule — government
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. roll — a list
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. ball — a dance
  10. content — the amount
  11. rule — a law
  12. ball — a great time
  13. date — the fruit
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. content — happy
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. pitch — completely
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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