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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
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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: calf · bowl · bear · object · pop · toast · mug · clip

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. pop — to visit
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. object — an aim
  5. bear — the animal
  6. object — to protest
  7. bear — the animal
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. pop — soda
  11. clip — to cut
  12. clip — a video
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. object — a thing
  16. toast — bread
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. mug — to rob
  19. clip — for paper
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. mug — a cup
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. pop — music

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