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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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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: ruler · suit · toast · bay · content · face · calf · club

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. content — the amount
  3. face — to point toward
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. club — a group
  10. face — to confront
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. suit — clothes
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. toast — bread
  17. content — happy
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. suit — in cards
  22. club — for golf
  23. club — for dancing
  24. calf — a young animal

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