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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — a break
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bear — the animal
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. chest — a box
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. chest — of your body
  13. kick — in football
  14. stock — shares
  15. stock — goods
  16. board — a committee
  17. rest — what's left
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. chest — of your body
  23. board — to get on
  24. temple — a place of worship

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