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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: charge · squash · toast · bass · racket · content · court · suit

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. squash — to crush
  4. content — the amount
  5. charge — electricity
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. court — for sport
  9. content — happy
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bass — the fish
  13. court — of law
  14. suit — to fit
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. charge — a price
  17. toast — bread
  18. squash — the sport
  19. suit — clothes
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bass — low music
  22. court — of a king
  23. charge — in control
  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