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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: field · calf · content · toast · mouse · kick · capital · roll

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. content — the amount
  3. field — for sport
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. toast — bread
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. field — a subject
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. field — farmland
  12. capital — a city
  13. capital — money
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. kick — in football
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. roll — a cake
  20. content — happy
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. roll — a list
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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