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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. court — of law
  3. cue — a signal
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. cue — a hint
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. bore — to drill
  8. court — of a king
  9. rock — music
  10. rock — a stone
  11. bore — to tire
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. content — happy
  14. fork — in a road
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. content — the amount
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. cue — for pool
  24. court — for sport

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