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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. club — a group
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. club — for golf
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. staff — employees
  9. rest — a break
  10. staff — employees
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. bear — the animal
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. rest — what's left
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. staff — a stick
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bear — the animal
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. rest — what's left
  22. vault — a safe
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. club — for dancing

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