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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.

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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: calf · mine · firm · temple · bowl · foot

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. firm — steady
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. mine — for digging
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. firm — decided
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. firm — a company

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