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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: content · chest · current · rush · face · bay · suit · racket

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. content — happy
  4. current — of water
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. rush — hurry
  7. current — happening now
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. face — to point toward
  13. face — part of the head
  14. current — electric
  15. chest — of your body
  16. suit — in cards
  17. chest — of your body
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. chest — a box
  20. face — to confront
  21. suit — clothes
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. content — the amount

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