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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: shower · temple · bulb · calf · can · patient · scale · court

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. can — to be able to
  4. can — a tin
  5. court — of a king
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. court — for sport
  8. can — a tin
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. bulb — for light
  12. shower — rain
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. scale — size or range
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. scale — in music
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. shower — to wash
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. court — of law

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