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

Word bank: swing · rule · foot · bowl · calf · temple

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. swing — in golf
  6. foot — a measure
  7. swing — to play on
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. rule — a law
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. swing — music
  14. rule — government
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. calf — a young 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