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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: temple · cabinet · arm · deal · lean · suit · spring · pound

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. spring — a coil
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. lean — to bend
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. suit — in cards
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. deal — to handle
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. pound — a weight
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. spring — the season
  19. spring — of water
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. suit — clothes
  22. lean — thin
  23. suit — to fit
  24. arm — part of the body

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