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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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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: last · calf · bear · firm · cabinet · temple · bowl · pit

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. last — finally
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. firm — steady
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. firm — a company
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pit — in a race
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. firm — decided
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. last — to go on
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. last — 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