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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 116 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: mug · chair · present · prune · suit · mate · racket · content

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. content — happy
  5. present — there
  6. suit — clothes
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. suit — to fit
  9. content — the amount
  10. prune — to trim
  11. chair — a leader
  12. present — the time now
  13. present — a gift
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. mug — to rob
  16. mate — to breed
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. mate — a partner
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. prune — to trim
  22. mug — a face
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mug — a cup

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