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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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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 · rock · rule · rest · suit · calf · straw · content

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. content — the amount
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. suit — in cards
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. rock — music
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. rule — a law
  12. rule — government
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — what's left
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. suit — to fit
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rest — a break
  23. content — happy
  24. straw — a straw man

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