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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.

Make a worksheet

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: object · calf · prune · mate · scale · temple · sharp · racket

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. It's one 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. calf — a young animal
  3. mate — to breed
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. scale — size or range
  12. prune — to trim
  13. mate — a friend
  14. object — a thing
  15. prune — to trim
  16. sharp — clever
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. object — to protest
  20. scale — in music
  21. mate — a partner
  22. object — an aim
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. sharp — exactly

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