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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: calf · race · hide · leaves · field · temple · rash · court

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. race — the arms race
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. race — humankind
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. field — farmland
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. field — a subject
  17. court — for sport
  18. rash — hasty
  19. field — for sport
  20. race — a contest
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. rash — a series
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. court — of a king

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