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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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. mark — a grade
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. scale — in music
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. content — happy
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. tube — the underground
  10. firm — a company
  11. band — a ring
  12. wound — an injury
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. tube — a container
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. scale — size or range
  18. wound — an injury
  19. band — a music group
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. firm — decided
  22. firm — steady
  23. content — the amount
  24. calf — of the leg

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