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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: land · ball · key · mark · content · calf · cabinet · ruler

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. mark — a grade
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. content — the amount
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. mark — a trace
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. land — a country
  13. key — for a lock
  14. content — happy
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. land — to come down
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. land — ground
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ball — a great time
  22. key — the most important part
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. ball — a dance

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