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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: temple · hide · field · band · calf · scale · charge · arm

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. band — a ring
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. scale — size or range
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. scale — in music
  11. charge — electricity
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. field — a subject
  15. charge — a price
  16. field — for sport
  17. field — farmland
  18. charge — in control
  19. band — a music group
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. calf — a young 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