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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
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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: hide · lie · march · spring · calf · temple · fan · mug

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. spring — a coil
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. march — the month
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. mug — a cup
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. mug — to rob
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. lie — to recline
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. spring — the season
  17. march — music
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. march — the month
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. mug — a face

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