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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: saw · kid · suit · fine · racket · pass · content · cabinet

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. fine — high quality
  3. saw — the tool
  4. content — happy
  5. kid — to tease
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. fine — all right
  10. content — the amount
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. suit — to fit
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pass — a permit
  15. suit — clothes
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. saw — the tool
  22. kid — child
  23. suit — in cards
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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