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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 · calf · hand · cabinet · cold · temple · band · present

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. present — the time now
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. present — there
  6. band — a ring
  7. sharp — clever
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. hand — help
  13. cold — an illness
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. band — a music group
  18. cold — not warm
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. hand — in cards
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. present — a gift
  24. band — a rubber band

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