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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.

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: game · temple · row · mate · calf · nail · perch · object

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. mate — a partner
  4. object — a thing
  5. perch — the fish
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. row — to paddle
  9. game — wild animals
  10. object — to protest
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. object — an aim
  15. mate — to breed
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. game — a match
  18. row — a line
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. mate — a friend
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. temple — a place of worship

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