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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. net — in sport
  3. bear — the animal
  4. present — the time now
  5. object — to protest
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. object — an aim
  12. content — the amount
  13. present — a gift
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bear — the animal
  16. object — a thing
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. net — for catching
  19. content — happy
  20. net — after costs
  21. present — there
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. content — videos and posts

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