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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: kid · tube · can · nail · calf · face · degree · chest

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. chest — a box
  3. face — part of the head
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. face — to confront
  8. can — to be able to
  9. kid — child
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. degree — temperature
  13. degree — an amount
  14. can — a tin
  15. tube — a container
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. degree — from a university
  19. kid — to tease
  20. chest — of your body
  21. can — a tin
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. tube — the underground
  24. face — to point toward

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