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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.

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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: stick · racket · tear · content · dip · firm · suit · mouse

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. tear — from crying
  4. firm — a company
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. tear — to rip
  10. content — the amount
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. firm — decided
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. tear — from crying
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. content — happy
  18. suit — clothes
  19. dip — to sink
  20. suit — to fit
  21. firm — steady
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. suit — in cards

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