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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: roll · fall · shower · firm · foot · temple · calf · mouse

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. foot — a measure
  3. shower — to wash
  4. firm — decided
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. firm — a company
  10. fall — to drop
  11. firm — steady
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. fall — to drop
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. fall — the season
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. shower — rain
  23. roll — a list
  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