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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: calf · ball · temple · lie · patient · date · band · ground

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. ground — a position
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. band — a ring
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. ball — a great time
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. date — the fruit
  13. ball — a dance
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. band — a music group
  17. ground — crushed
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — to recline
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. ground — the earth

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