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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.

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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: pass · content · calf · mate · ground · ruler · suit · bat

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. bat — the animal
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — to fit
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. ground — the earth
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. ground — a position
  12. pass — a permit
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. ground — crushed
  15. content — the amount
  16. mate — to breed
  17. suit — clothes
  18. mate — a friend
  19. mate — a partner
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. content — happy
  24. pass — to succeed

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