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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: perch · march · content · racket · can · mark · race · suit

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. suit — clothes
  4. mark — a grade
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. content — the amount
  7. can — a tin
  8. march — the month
  9. can — a tin
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. march — the month
  12. can — to be able to
  13. perch — the fish
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. suit — in cards
  16. content — happy
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. race — a contest
  19. race — humankind
  20. race — the arms race
  21. mark — a trace
  22. march — music
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. suit — to fit

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