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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pass — a permit
  5. shower — rain
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. content — happy
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. fork — in a road
  16. shower — to wash
  17. band — a ring
  18. ball — a dance
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. content — the amount
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. band — a music group
  24. ball — a great time

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