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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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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. degree — an amount
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. rash — hasty
  10. degree — temperature
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. craft — boats
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — the season
  16. craft — a skill
  17. degree — from a university
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. rash — a series
  23. fall — to drop
  24. craft — a handicraft

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