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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: sharp · stick · content · squash · calf · clip · pit · plane

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. clip — to cut
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. clip — for paper
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. clip — a video
  9. pit — in a race
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. squash — the sport
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. content — happy
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. sharp — clever
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. plane — a tool
  22. squash — to crush
  23. pit — a hole
  24. content — the amount

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