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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: calf · face · stock · temple · firm · wind · board · ruler

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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. firm — steady
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. firm — decided
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. wind — moving air
  11. face — to point toward
  12. face — part of the head
  13. firm — a company
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. board — to get on
  18. stock — shares
  19. stock — goods
  20. wind — moving air
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. face — to confront
  24. board — a committee

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