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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.

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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: sharp · temple · bat · jam · rush · mouse · calf · nail

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. sharp — clever
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. bat — the animal
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. nail — for a hammer

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