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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.

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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: bay · can · mouse · coach · deal · content · calf · wind

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. content — happy
  3. can — to be able to
  4. can — a tin
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. deal — to handle
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. content — the amount
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. wind — moving air
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. can — a tin
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. wind — moving air
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. coach — a trainer

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