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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: calf · leaves · content · game · chest · bark · stick · rash

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. chest — a box
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. chest — of your body
  9. content — the amount
  10. rash — hasty
  11. rash — a series
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. game — wild animals
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. content — happy
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bark — to shout
  24. game — a match

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