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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: calf · cabinet · bat · temple · ruler · fork · pitch · pitcher

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. bat — the animal
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. fork — in a road
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. pitch — completely
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. 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