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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
YesNo
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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: plane · mug · content · game · fine · calf · straw · ruler

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. mug — to rob
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. content — the amount
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. plane — a tool
  13. content — happy
  14. game — a match
  15. mug — a face
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. fine — high quality
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. game — wild animals
  22. fine — all right
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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