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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. track — a song
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. content — the amount
  7. rest — what's left
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. content — happy
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. swing — music
  12. track — to keep track
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. can — to be able to
  17. swing — in golf
  18. can — a tin
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. swing — to play on
  21. track — a path
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. rest — a break
  24. can — a tin

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