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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: hide · staff · temple · cold · mark · saw · calf · stick

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. staff — employees
  5. staff — employees
  6. saw — the tool
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. staff — a stick
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. saw — the tool
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. mark — a trace
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. cold — an illness
  17. cold — not warm
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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