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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 120 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: racket · suit · bowl · content · dip · current · tear · pop

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. pop — to visit
  4. content — the amount
  5. tear — from crying
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. tear — from crying
  8. pop — soda
  9. current — electric
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. content — happy
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — clothes
  16. pop — music
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. tear — to rip
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. current — of water
  22. dip — to sink
  23. suit — to fit
  24. current — happening now

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