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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: perch · object · chip · ball · track · rash · temple · calf

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. track — a song
  3. object — a thing
  4. track — a path
  5. track — to keep track
  6. perch — the fish
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. chip — for betting
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. chip — to eat
  12. object — to protest
  13. ball — a great time
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. ball — a dance
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. object — an aim
  21. rash — a series
  22. rash — hasty
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. temple — side of the head

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