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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: lean · chest · key · temple · craft · mark · calf · lash

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. key — the most important part
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. chest — of your body
  5. lean — to bend
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. chest — of your body
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. chest — a box
  11. key — in music
  12. mark — a trace
  13. craft — a skill
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. craft — boats
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. lean — thin
  21. key — for a lock
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. mark — a grade

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