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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.

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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: band · ground · fine · content · suit · kick · mouse · chest

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. fine — all right
  3. suit — clothes
  4. ground — a position
  5. chest — of your body
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. fine — high quality
  10. content — the amount
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. band — a music group
  13. chest — a box
  14. kick — in football
  15. suit — to fit
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. ground — crushed
  19. chest — of your body
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. ground — the earth
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. band — a ring
  24. content — happy

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