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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: kid · ball · content · tube · suit · mate · fan · mouse

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. content — the amount
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. kid — to tease
  5. ball — a great time
  6. mate — a partner
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. suit — clothes
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. content — happy
  13. suit — to fit
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. mate — a friend
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. suit — in cards
  18. tube — a container
  19. tube — the underground
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. kid — child
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. ball — a dance

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