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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.

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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: cabinet · can · race · fork · content · pound · swing · ball

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  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. can — a tin
  2. race — a contest
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. race — the arms race
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. swing — music
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. swing — to play on
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. ball — a dance
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. content — the amount
  13. ball — a great time
  14. pound — a weight
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. can — to be able to
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. can — a tin
  20. race — humankind
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. swing — in golf
  23. fork — in a road
  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