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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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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: clip · toast · suit · present · lash · roll · calf · content

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — in cards
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. present — the time now
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. suit — to fit
  10. clip — to cut
  11. content — the amount
  12. present — a gift
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. clip — for paper
  15. roll — a list
  16. clip — a video
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. toast — bread
  19. content — happy
  20. roll — a cake
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. present — there

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