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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 120 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: sharp · band · calf · temple · chip · patient · fan · tear

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. sharp — clever
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. tear — to rip
  7. tear — from crying
  8. chip — for betting
  9. band — a ring
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. chip — to eat
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. band — a music group
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. tear — from crying
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. chip — in a computer

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