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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.

Make a worksheet

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: content · ball · suit · lash · court · can · wave · file

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. content — the amount
  3. ball — a dance
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. can — to be able to
  6. file — a line of people
  7. can — a tin
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. file — a tool
  10. content — happy
  11. file — a document
  12. court — for sport
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. can — a tin
  15. court — of law
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. court — of a king
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. ball — a great time
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — in cards
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. suit — to fit
  24. lash — an eyelash

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