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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. cue — a signal
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. mark — a trace
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. board — to get on
  8. content — happy
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. content — the amount
  11. pop — soda
  12. cue — a hint
  13. mark — a grade
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. pop — to visit
  17. pop — music
  18. ball — a great time
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. lean — thin
  21. cue — for pool
  22. board — a committee
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. ball — a dance

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