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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: temple · date · coach · chip · object · wound · leaves · calf

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. object — to protest
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. object — a thing
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. wound — an injury
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. chip — to eat
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. date — the fruit
  19. object — an aim
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. chip — for betting
  23. wound — an injury
  24. calf — a young animal

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