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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: calf · foot · bay · patient · arm · temple · current · pound

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. current — happening now
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. foot — a measure
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. pound — a weight
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. current — of water
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. current — electric
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. arm — a part of something

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