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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. face — to point toward
  5. chest — of your body
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. rash — a series
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. branch — a division
  15. chest — a box
  16. rash — hasty
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. fine — all right
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. face — part of the head
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. chest — of your body
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. face — to confront

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