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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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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: stand · lie · calf · key · snap · bay · rock · content

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. snap — to click
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. key — in music
  12. stand — to bear
  13. lie — to recline
  14. key — the most important part
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. rock — a stone
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. content — the amount
  20. key — for a lock
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. content — happy
  23. rock — music
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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