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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: squash · lie · kid · mark · ball · content · racket · safe

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. kid — to tease
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. squash — to crush
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. ball — a great time
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. mark — a trace
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. lie — to recline
  17. kid — child
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. content — the amount
  20. ball — a dance
  21. squash — the sport
  22. mark — a grade
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. content — happy

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