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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: racket · mate · fine · content · bass · suit · spell · plane

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. fine — high quality
  3. bass — low music
  4. mate — to breed
  5. spell — letters
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. suit — in cards
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. plane — a tool
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. spell — a short time
  16. fine — all right
  17. bass — the fish
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. mate — a partner
  20. content — happy
  21. spell — magic
  22. content — the amount
  23. suit — to fit
  24. suit — clothes

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