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

Word bank: ball · craft · patient · march · temple · calf

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. ball — a great time
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. craft — boats
  11. march — the month
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. march — music
  16. march — the month
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. ball — a dance

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