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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
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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: cap · nail · land · dip · calf · band · bear · content

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. cap — a hat
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. cap — a lid
  7. dip — to sink
  8. bear — the animal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. band — a ring
  14. land — a country
  15. bear — the animal
  16. land — to come down
  17. band — a music group
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. land — ground
  21. cap — of ice
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. content — happy
  24. content — videos and posts

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