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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: ruler · can · wake · spell · season · fine · content · calf

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — a tin
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. content — the amount
  6. fine — all right
  7. season — of the year
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. spell — letters
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. content — happy
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. spell — magic
  16. fine — high quality
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. wake — a trail
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. spell — a short time
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. season — in sport
  24. wake — before a funeral

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