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

Word bank: temple · firm · file · swing · hand · ruler · calf · lean

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. file — a line of people
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. firm — decided
  5. swing — to play on
  6. firm — a company
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. lean — to bend
  10. firm — steady
  11. hand — help
  12. file — a document
  13. file — a tool
  14. swing — music
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. lean — thin
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. hand — in cards
  21. swing — in golf
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. ruler — a monarch

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