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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. band — a music group
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. craft — boats
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. dip — to sink
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. lie — to recline
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. vault — a safe
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. kid — to tease
  18. craft — a skill
  19. band — a ring
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. kid — child
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. band — a rubber band

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