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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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Word bank
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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: suit · arm · temple · snap · rash · bound

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. bound — certain
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. bound — tied together
  8. rash — hasty
  9. suit — to fit
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. suit — clothes
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. snap — to click
  16. rash — a series
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bound — obliged

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