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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: dip · bowl · rash · temple · face · calf · lie · track

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. face — part of the head
  3. track — a path
  4. lie — to recline
  5. face — to confront
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. dip — to sink
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. track — a song
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. rash — a series
  15. track — to keep track
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. rash — hasty
  23. face — to point toward
  24. temple — side of the head

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