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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
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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: capital · lie · pitcher · safe · content · kick · roll · racket

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. capital — money
  5. roll — a cake
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. roll — a list
  8. lie — to recline
  9. kick — in football
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. capital — a city
  15. content — happy
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. content — the amount
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. lie — an untruth

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