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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: stand · file · calf · pit · coach · temple · game · bulb

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. file — a tool
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. file — a document
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bulb — for light
  9. game — wild animals
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stand — to bear
  12. file — a line of people
  13. pit — a hole
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. pit — in a race
  19. bulb — for light
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. game — a match
  24. temple — side of the head

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