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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. firm — decided
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. can — a tin
  6. chest — of your body
  7. chest — of your body
  8. key — for a lock
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. firm — a company
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. can — a tin
  13. mine — for digging
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. can — to be able to
  17. wound — an injury
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. wound — an injury
  20. firm — steady
  21. key — in music
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. chest — a box
  24. key — the most important part

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