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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rock · club · lean · ball · degree · safe · arm · spring

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. ball — a great time
  3. lean — to bend
  4. spring — of water
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. club — a group
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. lean — thin
  9. club — for dancing
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. spring — a coil
  13. degree — temperature
  14. rock — a stone
  15. ball — a dance
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. degree — an amount
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. rock — music
  20. spring — the season
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. degree — from a university

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