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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: mate · cabinet · bat · temple · present · ball · calf · fork

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. ball — a dance
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. mate — to breed
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. fork — in a road
  14. mate — a friend
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. bat — the animal
  18. present — the time now
  19. present — there
  20. ball — a great time
  21. mate — a partner
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. present — a gift

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