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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 116 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: tear · calf · pit · pop · mug · lean · content · chair

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. tear — from crying
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. lean — to bend
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. mug — a face
  9. lean — thin
  10. mug — to rob
  11. content — happy
  12. chair — a leader
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. pop — music
  15. tear — to rip
  16. tear — from crying
  17. pit — in a race
  18. pop — to visit
  19. mug — a cup
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. content — the amount
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. pop — soda
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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