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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. content — the amount
  3. suit — in cards
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. tear — to rip
  7. spell — magic
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. tear — from crying
  11. rule — government
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bear — the animal
  14. suit — clothes
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. spell — a short time
  17. content — happy
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. tear — from crying
  21. spell — letters
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. bear — the animal
  24. rule — to rule out

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