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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: mug · content · branch · calf · mine · cap · deal · date

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. content — happy
  5. mug — to rob
  6. date — the fruit
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. cap — of ice
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. content — the amount
  12. deal — to handle
  13. mine — for digging
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. cap — a hat
  18. branch — a division
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. mug — a face
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. mug — a cup
  23. cap — a lid
  24. calf — of the leg

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