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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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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: key · fine · rest · temple · calf · chest · bay · face

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. rest — what's left
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. chest — of your body
  6. chest — a box
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. rest — a break
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. key — for a lock
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. face — to point toward
  13. face — part of the head
  14. key — the most important part
  15. fine — high quality
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. chest — of your body
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. face — to confront
  20. key — in music
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. rest — what's left
  24. fine — all right

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