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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: present · content · ball · calf · mug · scale · rest · rock

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. content — happy
  3. present — there
  4. rock — a stone
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. ball — a dance
  9. rock — music
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — a break
  12. mug — a cup
  13. ball — a great time
  14. mug — to rob
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. content — the amount
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rest — what's left
  19. present — a gift
  20. scale — in music
  21. scale — size or range
  22. present — the time now
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. content — videos and posts

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