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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. file — a tool
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. craft — a skill
  6. craft — boats
  7. pit — a hole
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. file — a line of people
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. club — for golf
  19. file — a document
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. pit — in a race
  22. club — for dancing
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. branch — a division

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