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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. content — happy
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bear — the animal
  7. cell — in biology
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. content — the amount
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. suit — clothes
  14. press — newspapers
  15. shower — rain
  16. suit — in cards
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. cell — a phone
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. press — a publisher
  21. press — to push
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bear — the animal
  24. shower — to wash

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