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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · jam · present · ball · racket · bowl · can · prune

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. present — a gift
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. ball — a dance
  6. content — the amount
  7. prune — to trim
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. prune — to trim
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. can — a tin
  14. present — there
  15. content — happy
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. ball — a great time
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. can — a tin
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. present — the time now
  24. can — to be able to

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