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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: calf · staff · stem · rest · mine · nail · temple · scale

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  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. calf — a young animal
  2. stem — to come from
  3. rest — a break
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. mine — for digging
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. rest — what's left
  11. staff — employees
  12. scale — in music
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. staff — employees
  15. scale — size or range
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. staff — a stick
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. rest — what's left
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. mine — an explosive
  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