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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: content · calf · safe · tear · club · pit · can · court

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. can — a tin
  3. content — happy
  4. club — a group
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. can — to be able to
  7. can — a tin
  8. tear — from crying
  9. club — for golf
  10. tear — from crying
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. court — of a king
  13. content — the amount
  14. pit — a hole
  15. court — for sport
  16. club — for dancing
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. court — of law
  19. tear — to rip
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. pit — in a race
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. safe — out of danger

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