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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: calf · jam · firm · bore · content · snap · temple · coach

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  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. snap — to snap out of it
  2. bore — to tire
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. firm — steady
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. firm — a company
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. snap — to click
  9. bore — to drill
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. content — the amount
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. content — happy
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. firm — decided
  23. temple — a place of worship
  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