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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.

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: arm · hide · scale · foot · calf · jam · temple · date

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. date — the fruit
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. scale — size or range
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. scale — in music
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. foot — a measure

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