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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: content · can · calf · mark · pitcher · mouse · ball · present

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. ball — a dance
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. can — to be able to
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. can — a tin
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. present — there
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. present — the time now
  15. can — a tin
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mark — a grade
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. content — the amount
  20. ball — a great time
  21. present — a gift
  22. content — happy
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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