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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 116 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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. lean — thin
  5. content — happy
  6. squash — to crush
  7. squash — the sport
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. staff — employees
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. mate — to breed
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. mate — a partner
  14. bound — obliged
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. content — the amount
  17. lean — to bend
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. bound — tied together
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. staff — a stick
  23. staff — employees
  24. bound — certain

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