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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.

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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: content · saw · fork · suit · ball · cell · can · swing

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. ball — a dance
  4. cell — in biology
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — in cards
  8. content — happy
  9. can — a tin
  10. swing — music
  11. saw — the tool
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. fork — in a road
  14. swing — in golf
  15. can — to be able to
  16. saw — the tool
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. can — a tin
  19. cell — a phone
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a great time
  23. swing — to play on
  24. suit — to fit

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