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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: rest · pop · temple · hand · lie · fine · fork · calf

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. fork — in a road
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. rest — a break
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. hand — in cards
  10. fine — high quality
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. hand — help
  13. lie — to recline
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. pop — music
  17. pop — soda
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. rest — what's left
  20. fine — all right
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. pop — to visit

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