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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 120 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: squash · mug · calf · scale · game · file · bear · temple

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. game — a match
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. file — a tool
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. game — wild animals
  9. mug — a cup
  10. squash — to crush
  11. squash — the sport
  12. scale — size or range
  13. bear — the animal
  14. scale — in music
  15. bear — the animal
  16. mug — a face
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. file — a line of people
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. mug — to rob
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. file — a document

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