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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: coach · firm · temple · content · key · bowl · band · calf

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. firm — steady
  3. firm — a company
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. band — a music group
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. key — for a lock
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. key — the most important part
  18. key — in music
  19. content — the amount
  20. firm — decided
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. content — happy
  24. bowl — a football final

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