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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
468
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: ball · craft · patient · march · temple · calf · toast · lie

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. craft — a skill
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. craft — boats
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. march — the month
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. march — music
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. ball — a dance
  19. toast — bread
  20. march — the month
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. ball — a great time

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