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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.

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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 · wax · racket · rock · mate · tear · shower · temple

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. rock — a stone
  5. mate — to breed
  6. tear — from crying
  7. shower — rain
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. shower — to wash
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. tear — to rip
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. mate — a friend
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. tear — from crying
  20. wax — to grow
  21. rock — music
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. mate — a partner

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