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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.

Make a worksheet

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: mouse · calf · content · vault · spell · temple · can · dip

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. can — a tin
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. can — to be able to
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. vault — a safe
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. spell — a short time
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. spell — magic
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. spell — letters
  18. dip — to sink
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. content — the amount
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. can — a tin

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