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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: wind · content · wake · squash · bark · mug · calf · pop

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. pop — music
  3. wind — moving air
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. content — the amount
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. squash — the sport
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. wake — a trail
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. pop — soda
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. content — happy
  16. pop — to visit
  17. wind — moving air
  18. bark — to shout
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. mug — a cup
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. squash — to crush
  24. mug — a face

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