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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: plane · calf · pit · chest · temple · bound · rash · ball

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. rash — hasty
  3. bound — certain
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bound — tied together
  6. ball — a great time
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. chest — of your body
  9. rash — a series
  10. ball — a dance
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pit — a hole
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. chest — of your body
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. pit — in a race
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. bound — obliged
  23. chest — a box
  24. plane — a tool

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