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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: pitch · face · file · spell · content · racket · toast · can

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. content — the amount
  3. can — a tin
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. file — a tool
  7. can — a tin
  8. spell — magic
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. content — happy
  12. pitch — completely
  13. file — a line of people
  14. toast — bread
  15. can — to be able to
  16. face — to confront
  17. file — a document
  18. face — part of the head
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. face — to point toward
  23. spell — letters
  24. racket — for tennis

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