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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.

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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: chair · ruler · nail · march · temple · face · calf · bank

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. march — the month
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bank — for money
  9. march — music
  10. march — the month
  11. face — part of the head
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. bank — of a river
  14. face — to point toward
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. chair — a leader
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. bank — for money
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. face — to confront

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