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

Word bank: bay · stand · mark · content · present · calf · rock · mate

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mate — a partner
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. present — the time now
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rock — music
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. content — the amount
  14. present — a gift
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. content — happy
  19. stand — to bear
  20. mate — to breed
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. rock — a stone
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. mark — a trace

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