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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 120 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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. can — a tin
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. key — in music
  9. wake — a trail
  10. board — to get on
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. can — to be able to
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. pound — a weight
  15. board — a committee
  16. key — the most important part
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. key — for a lock
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. can — a tin
  24. board — a flat piece

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