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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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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: cell · swing · temple · rock · calf · face · straw · club

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. club — for golf
  7. swing — music
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. rock — music
  10. cell — in biology
  11. cell — a phone
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. club — for dancing
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. face — to point toward
  17. rock — a stone
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. face — to confront
  20. swing — in golf
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. face — part of the head
  23. club — a group
  24. rock — to move gently

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