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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. sharp — clever
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. firm — steady
  5. content — happy
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. content — the amount
  8. lie — to recline
  9. track — to keep track
  10. firm — decided
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. firm — a company
  13. present — a gift
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — a break
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. track — a song
  18. rest — what's left
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. track — a path
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. present — the time now
  24. sharp — with an edge

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