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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. last — final
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. chip — to eat
  13. last — to go on
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. last — finally
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. sharp — clever
  20. chip — for betting
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. ruler — for measuring

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