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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.

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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: lash · pound · temple · club · foot · suit · pit · march

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. suit — to fit
  3. club — for golf
  4. march — the month
  5. club — for dancing
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pit — in a race
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. club — a group
  10. march — music
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. march — the month
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. suit — in cards
  20. pound — a weight
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. foot — a measure
  24. suit — clothes

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