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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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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. last — to go on
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. lie — to recline
  9. last — final
  10. last — finally
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — the season
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. fall — to drop
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. calf — a young animal

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