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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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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: court · temple · cabinet · game · calf · rest · wake · face

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. rest — a break
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. rest — what's left
  7. court — of a king
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. face — part of the head
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. game — a match
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. court — of law
  16. game — wild animals
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. wake — a trail
  20. court — for sport
  21. rest — what's left
  22. face — to confront
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. cabinet — ministers

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