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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
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: ball · content · date · pitcher · calf · dip · bowl · bear

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  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. pitcher — in baseball
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. content — the amount
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. content — happy
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. ball — a great time
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. ball — a dance
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. dip — to sink
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. date — the fruit
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — the animal
  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