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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 was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. ball — a dance
  10. suit — clothes
  11. pound — a weight
  12. band — a music group
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. content — happy
  15. band — a ring
  16. suit — in cards
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. sharp — clever
  19. suit — to fit
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. content — the amount
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. can — a tin

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