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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
468
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 · mine · pop · lean · ruler · bore · mate · calf

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bore — to tire
  4. mine — for digging
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. lean — thin
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. pop — soda
  10. pop — music
  11. content — the amount
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. mate — to breed
  15. pop — to visit
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. mate — a partner
  18. bore — to drill
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. lean — to bend
  21. content — happy
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. mate — a friend
  24. ruler — for measuring

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