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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: shower · bank · temple · kid · ball · plane · calf · chip

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. chip — for betting
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. ball — a great time
  7. kid — to tease
  8. chip — to eat
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. kid — child
  12. shower — to wash
  13. shower — rain
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. ball — a dance
  16. bank — of a river
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. bank — for money
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. bank — for money

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