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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: ball · game · toast · calf · bay · firm · tube · temple

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. firm — steady
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. firm — a company
  7. game — wild animals
  8. ball — a great time
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. game — a match
  11. ball — a dance
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. firm — decided
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. tube — the underground
  18. toast — bread
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. tube — a container

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