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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: leaves · kick · rock · file · craft · cell · temple · foot

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. kick — in football
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. rock — music
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. craft — a skill
  8. foot — a measure
  9. file — a document
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. file — a tool
  12. craft — boats
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rock — a stone
  20. cell — in biology
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. file — a line of people
  24. cell — a phone

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