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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: sharp · temple · net · mouse · calf · band · root · hide

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. root — the cause
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. band — a ring
  5. root — of a plant
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. band — a music group
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. sharp — clever
  11. root — of a word
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. net — after costs
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. net — for catching
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. net — in sport
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. mouse — the 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