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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 like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bear — the animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. rest — a break
  11. row — to paddle
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. rest — what's left
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. wake — a trail
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. rest — what's left
  19. row — a line
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. content — the amount
  22. content — happy
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. bear — to put up with

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