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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: object · mug · content · pop · calf · cue · bass · cold

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. cue — a signal
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. pop — music
  5. mug — to rob
  6. object — a thing
  7. pop — soda
  8. pop — to visit
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. cue — a hint
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. object — to protest
  13. content — the amount
  14. cold — not warm
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. bass — low music
  17. cold — an illness
  18. bass — the fish
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. mug — a face
  21. object — an aim
  22. mug — a cup
  23. cue — for pool
  24. content — happy

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