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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: spring · firm · row · calf · staff · temple · chest · lean

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. chest — a box
  3. staff — a stick
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. firm — a company
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. spring — a coil
  8. row — to paddle
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. spring — the season
  11. chest — of your body
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. firm — steady
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. staff — employees
  16. firm — decided
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. staff — employees
  19. lean — thin
  20. spring — of water
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. chest — of your body
  23. lean — to bend
  24. row — a line

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