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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: pitcher · board · calf · trunk · fine · spell · content · suit

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. suit — clothes
  3. board — to get on
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. board — a committee
  6. spell — a short time
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fine — all right
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. suit — to fit
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. spell — letters
  16. content — happy
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. suit — in cards
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. spell — magic
  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