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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 · lash · land · ruler · coach · suit · content · net

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. suit — in cards
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. net — for catching
  5. content — the amount
  6. land — ground
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. suit — clothes
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. suit — to fit
  12. land — a country
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. net — after costs
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. net — in sport
  18. land — to come down
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. content — happy
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. coach — a trainer

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