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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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. cell — in biology
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. club — for dancing
  5. cell — a phone
  6. club — for golf
  7. object — an aim
  8. dip — to sink
  9. swing — in golf
  10. rest — what's left
  11. swing — music
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. object — a thing
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. object — to protest
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. rest — what's left
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. club — a group
  21. foot — a measure
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. swing — to play on

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