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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.

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 · bulb · can · temple · cold · track · vault · leaves

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. can — a tin
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. cold — not warm
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. track — to keep track
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. bulb — for light
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. track — a song
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. can — to be able to
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. can — a tin
  17. bulb — for light
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. vault — a safe
  22. cold — an illness
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. leaves — of a tree

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