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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: capital · ball · calf · temple · safe · fall · lean · shower

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. shower — rain
  4. lean — thin
  5. fall — the season
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. shower — to wash
  8. ball — a dance
  9. capital — a city
  10. ball — a great time
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. lean — to bend
  14. capital — money
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. fall — to drop
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. fall — to drop
  24. capital — a big letter

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