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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 · fine · ball · cold · toast · calf · mug · row

  1. The water is too ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — not warm
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. fine — all right
  5. row — to paddle
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. mug — a cup
  9. ball — a great time
  10. row — a line
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. mug — to rob
  13. fine — high quality
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. toast — bread
  19. cold — an illness
  20. tube — the underground
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. tube — a container
  23. ball — a dance
  24. mug — a face

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