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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: calf · bowl · stem · rush · tube · temple · hand · nail

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. tube — a container
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. hand — in cards
  10. hand — help
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. tube — the underground
  17. stem — to come from
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. calf — of the leg

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