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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.

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468
Word bank
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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. fall — to drop
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. chest — of your body
  5. bear — the animal
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. current — electric
  10. bear — the animal
  11. current — happening now
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. chest — of your body
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — the season
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. current — of water
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. chest — a box

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