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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 116 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
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: content · calf · hide · object · pop · cell · board · leaves

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. object — a thing
  3. pop — music
  4. pop — to visit
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. cell — in biology
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. object — an aim
  10. content — happy
  11. board — a committee
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. content — the amount
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. cell — a phone
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. pop — soda
  20. object — to protest
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. board — to get on

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