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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 120 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: season · spring · calf · bound · temple · chip · nail · cabinet

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. chip — to eat
  3. chip — for betting
  4. season — in sport
  5. spring — the season
  6. bound — obliged
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bound — tied together
  9. spring — a coil
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. spring — of water
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. season — of the year
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bound — certain
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. temple — side of the head

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