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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
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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: perch · pit · leaves · plane · bear · calf · tube · temple

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. tube — the underground
  3. pit — a hole
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. perch — the fish
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. tube — a container
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. plane — a tool
  16. bear — the animal
  17. pit — in a race
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bear — the animal
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. leaves — to go away

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