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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. roll — a list
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. pit — in a race
  5. object — an aim
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. pit — a hole
  9. content — the amount
  10. object — to protest
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. craft — a skill
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. craft — boats
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. mine — for digging
  18. stock — shares
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stock — goods
  21. content — happy
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. roll — a cake
  24. object — a thing

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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