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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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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: fine · bat · mug · squash · firm · temple · band · calf

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. firm — steady
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. squash — the sport
  8. fine — high quality
  9. mug — a face
  10. band — a music group
  11. mug — to rob
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. firm — a company
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. band — a ring
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. squash — to crush
  18. fine — all right
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. firm — decided
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bat — the animal
  24. bat — for baseball

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