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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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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: foot · deal · lie · content · wake · spell · racket · dip

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. content — the amount
  6. lie — to recline
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. deal — to handle
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. foot — a measure
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. dip — to sink
  18. content — happy
  19. spell — letters
  20. wake — a trail
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. spell — magic
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. racket — for tennis

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