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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. tube — a container
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. lie — to recline
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. content — the amount
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. tube — the underground
  15. chair — a leader
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. content — happy
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. content — videos and posts

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