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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.

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: key · season · stick · rule · content · net · mouse · dip

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. season — in sport
  4. rule — a law
  5. rule — government
  6. content — happy
  7. net — in sport
  8. net — after costs
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. content — the amount
  12. key — the most important part
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. season — of the year
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. key — in music
  19. dip — to sink
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. key — for a lock
  23. net — for catching
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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