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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. content — the amount
  3. net — for catching
  4. suit — in cards
  5. tear — to rip
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. tear — from crying
  8. pop — music
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. content — happy
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. pop — to visit
  14. suit — to fit
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. pop — soda
  18. net — after costs
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — the tool
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. tear — from crying
  23. foot — a measure
  24. net — in 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