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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 116 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: racket · squash · ruler · content · kick · cabinet · capital · bulb

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. kick — in football
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. capital — a city
  9. bulb — for light
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. content — happy
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. squash — to crush
  19. squash — the sport
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. capital — money
  24. kick — a thrill

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