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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. content — the amount
  3. can — to be able to
  4. club — a group
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. club — for golf
  8. can — a tin
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. can — a tin
  12. club — for dancing
  13. wake — a trail
  14. pitch — completely
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mark — a grade
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. content — happy
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. ruler — for measuring

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