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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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 — pulled by horses
  3. spring — the season
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. spring — a coil
  9. field — farmland
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. spring — of water
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mug — a face
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. field — for sport
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. field — a subject
  22. mug — a cup
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. mouse — the animal

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