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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. present — the time now
  3. present — there
  4. present — a gift
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. lean — thin
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. ball — a great time
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. cue — a hint
  15. drill — the tool
  16. cue — for pool
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. ball — a dance
  19. drill — army training
  20. drill — a practice
  21. cue — a signal
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. fan — to cool the air

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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