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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: tube · lash · stand · calf · scale · mate · content · pitcher

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. scale — size or range
  4. content — happy
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. content — the amount
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. scale — in music
  14. tube — the underground
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. stand — to bear
  19. tube — a container
  20. mate — to breed
  21. mate — a partner
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. mate — a friend
  24. stand — for spectators

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