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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 120 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: suit · drill · foot · content · shower · deal · can · calf

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. deal — to handle
  3. suit — to fit
  4. drill — a practice
  5. can — to be able to
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. suit — in cards
  8. content — the amount
  9. can — a tin
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. suit — clothes
  13. content — happy
  14. shower — rain
  15. foot — a measure
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. drill — the tool
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. can — a tin
  23. drill — army training
  24. foot — part of the body

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