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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: calf · lie · kid · bowl · pit · racket · pass · content

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. pass — a permit
  3. content — the amount
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. content — happy
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. kid — child
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. lie — to recline
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. kid — to tease
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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