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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. content — the amount
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. vault — a safe
  6. cue — a hint
  7. cue — for pool
  8. court — of a king
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. object — an aim
  12. content — happy
  13. dip — to sink
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. cell — a phone
  17. object — to protest
  18. court — for sport
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. cell — in biology
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. cue — a signal
  24. court — of law

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