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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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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: club · roll · content · bore · fork · firm · pop · calf

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. pop — to visit
  3. firm — decided
  4. club — for golf
  5. content — happy
  6. club — for dancing
  7. fork — in a road
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. pop — soda
  10. content — the amount
  11. roll — a cake
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. club — a group
  16. bore — to tire
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. firm — steady
  19. pop — music
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. roll — a list
  22. firm — a company
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bore — gave birth

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