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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
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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: racket · trunk · calf · temple · pound · mug · game · perch

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. perch — the fish
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. game — wild animals
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. mug — to rob
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mug — a face
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. game — a match
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. pound — a weight
  23. pound — for dogs
  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