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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: wake · fan · hand · suit · mouse · pitcher · rock · content

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. suit — to fit
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. content — happy
  6. rock — music
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. hand — help
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. rock — a stone
  15. content — the amount
  16. hand — in cards
  17. suit — in cards
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. suit — clothes
  24. pitcher — a jug

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