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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: lash · calf · firm · face · key · temple · pop · kid

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. firm — steady
  3. kid — to tease
  4. pop — soda
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. face — to point toward
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. kid — child
  9. pop — music
  10. face — part of the head
  11. pop — to visit
  12. key — the most important part
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. face — to confront
  15. firm — a company
  16. firm — decided
  17. key — in music
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. key — for a lock
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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