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

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  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. club — a group
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. net — in sport
  7. swing — music
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. field — a subject
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. field — farmland
  12. club — for golf
  13. staff — a stick
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. staff — employees
  16. swing — to play on
  17. swing — in golf
  18. field — for sport
  19. net — after costs
  20. net — for catching
  21. vault — a safe
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. staff — employees
  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