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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: wake · temple · saw · stick · face · bay · roll · calf

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. wake — a trail
  5. roll — a list
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. roll — a cake
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. face — part of the head
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. face — to confront
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. saw — the tool
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  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