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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · content · patient · chair · suit · ground · lie · net

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. suit — to fit
  5. suit — clothes
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. ground — a position
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. ground — crushed
  10. net — for catching
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. suit — in cards
  13. ground — the earth
  14. content — the amount
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. chair — a leader
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. net — after costs
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. content — happy
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. net — in sport

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