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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. present — there
  5. suit — in cards
  6. present — the time now
  7. band — a ring
  8. content — happy
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. band — a music group
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. present — a gift
  15. suit — clothes
  16. content — the amount
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. suit — to fit
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. fork — in a road
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. dip — to sink

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