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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
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: sharp · root · content · date · suit · racket · nail · cap

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. cap — of ice
  4. cap — a lid
  5. suit — to fit
  6. root — of a word
  7. suit — clothes
  8. content — happy
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. content — the amount
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. sharp — clever
  17. date — the fruit
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. cap — a hat
  21. suit — in cards
  22. root — of a plant
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. root — the cause

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