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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. firm — decided
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. content — the amount
  6. content — happy
  7. suit — to fit
  8. rest — what's left
  9. tube — the underground
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ball — a great time
  12. rest — what's left
  13. firm — a company
  14. fine — high quality
  15. suit — in cards
  16. fine — all right
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. tube — a container
  19. rest — a break
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. firm — steady
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. calf — a young animal

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