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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: cabinet · foot · plane · rest · branch · pop · temple · calf

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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. cabinet — ministers
  4. rest — what's left
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. rest — a break
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. plane — a tool
  10. branch — a division
  11. rest — what's left
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. pop — music
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. pop — soda
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. pop — to visit
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. foot — a measure

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