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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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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: content · dip · ruler · calf · toast · file · spell · wake

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. content — happy
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. spell — letters
  6. wake — a trail
  7. file — a document
  8. content — the amount
  9. spell — a short time
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. dip — to sink
  13. spell — magic
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. toast — bread
  19. file — a line of people
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. file — a tool
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. ruler — a monarch

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