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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: calf · rule · temple · pit · sharp · roll · court · swing

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. sharp — clever
  3. pit — a hole
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. rule — a law
  8. swing — to play on
  9. roll — a list
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. court — of law
  12. swing — music
  13. roll — a cake
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. court — of a king
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. rule — government
  18. swing — in golf
  19. court — for sport
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. pit — in a race
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. rule — to rule out
  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