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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 · bay · cap · bound · stock · bore · ball · calf

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bore — to drill
  5. ball — a dance
  6. stock — shares
  7. ball — a great time
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bound — certain
  12. stock — goods
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bound — obliged
  16. cap — a hat
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. cap — a lid
  20. bound — tied together
  21. cap — of ice
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. temple — a place of worship

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