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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 120 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: present · craft · season · current · mate · ball · content · racket

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. craft — a skill
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. mate — to breed
  6. ball — a dance
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. current — happening now
  9. ball — a great time
  10. season — of the year
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. season — in sport
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. present — a gift
  15. current — electric
  16. craft — boats
  17. content — the amount
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. content — happy
  20. present — the time now
  21. mate — a friend
  22. mate — a partner
  23. current — of water
  24. present — there

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