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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. rock — music
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. object — to protest
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. land — to come down
  10. content — happy
  11. land — ground
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. rock — a stone
  15. land — a country
  16. pop — to visit
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. object — an aim
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. pop — music
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. object — a thing
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. pop — soda

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