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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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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. suit — clothes
  3. kick — in football
  4. mug — a cup
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. net — after costs
  7. rock — a stone
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. suit — to fit
  10. content — happy
  11. mug — a face
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. net — in sport
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. mug — to rob
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. stock — goods
  19. content — the amount
  20. stock — shares
  21. net — for catching
  22. rock — music
  23. suit — in cards
  24. stock — a soup base

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