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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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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: lie · ground · net · jam · wound · content · suit · cue

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. content — the amount
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. cue — for pool
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. suit — in cards
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. lie — to recline
  9. net — after costs
  10. ground — the earth
  11. ground — crushed
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. suit — to fit
  14. net — in sport
  15. content — happy
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. wound — an injury
  19. ground — a position
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. net — for catching
  22. cue — a signal
  23. cue — a hint
  24. wound — an injury

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