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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. suit — in cards
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. vault — a safe
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. content — happy
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. drill — the tool
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. suit — to fit
  14. drill — a practice
  15. drill — army training
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. suit — clothes
  19. deal — to handle
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. cell — in biology
  24. cell — a phone

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