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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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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: trunk · kick · chest · temple · file · bore · face · staff

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. file — a document
  3. bore — to tire
  4. face — part of the head
  5. chest — a box
  6. face — to point toward
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. bore — to drill
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. file — a line of people
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. chest — of your body
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. file — a tool
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — a stick
  20. face — to confront
  21. chest — of your body
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. kick — in football
  24. staff — employees

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