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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 120 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: fall · board · leaves · field · temple · craft · calf · chip

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. field — farmland
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. fall — to drop
  6. fall — the season
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. field — for sport
  10. craft — a skill
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. chip — to eat
  14. fall — to drop
  15. field — a subject
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. chip — for betting
  20. board — a committee
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. board — to get on
  23. craft — boats
  24. leaves — to go away

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