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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.

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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: temple · present · bay · mine · calf · object · lean · field

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. lean — to bend
  4. present — there
  5. object — a thing
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. field — a subject
  9. lean — thin
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. object — to protest
  14. field — for sport
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. object — an aim
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. present — the time now
  23. present — a gift
  24. mine — for digging

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