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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: bat · ruler · temple · calf · mark · pop · field · coach

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. pop — soda
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. field — for sport
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. mark — a grade
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. pop — to visit
  11. bat — the animal
  12. mark — a trace
  13. field — a subject
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. pop — music
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. field — farmland
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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