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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 120 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'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. content — the amount
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. land — a country
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. content — happy
  14. sharp — clever
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bound — obliged
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bound — certain
  21. land — to come down
  22. bound — tied together
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. calf — a young animal

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