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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: temple · march · wound · calf · fine · snap · mug · stand

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. march — the month
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. fine — all right
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. wound — an injury
  9. mug — to rob
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. snap — to click
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. march — music
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. stand — to bear
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. fine — high quality
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. march — the month
  22. wound — an injury
  23. mug — a face
  24. mug — a cup

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