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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. can — to be able to
  4. shower — to wash
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. shower — rain
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. rush — hurry
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. content — happy
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. foot — a measure
  18. content — the amount
  19. fork — in a road
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. rock — music
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. fork — a garden tool

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