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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: mouse · calf · court · bat · kid · bulb · temple · bound

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bound — certain
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bound — tied together
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. court — of a king
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. kid — to tease
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bat — the animal
  18. kid — child
  19. court — of law
  20. bound — obliged
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. court — for sport
  24. temple — a place of worship

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