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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. date — the fruit
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. ball — a dance
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. race — humankind
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. perch — the fish
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. ball — a great time
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. race — the arms race
  21. race — a contest
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. coach — a trainer

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