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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: temple · key · march · calf · board · clip · face · fork

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. key — in music
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. march — the month
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. clip — to cut
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. clip — a video
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. face — to confront
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. key — the most important part
  14. key — for a lock
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — a committee
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. board — to get on
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. march — the month
  21. clip — for paper
  22. face — to point toward
  23. face — part of the head
  24. march — music

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