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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: club · vault · kick · object · bore · patient · lie · temple

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. object — a thing
  3. club — a group
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. lie — to recline
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. object — to protest
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bore — to tire
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. bore — to drill
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. club — for dancing
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. kick — in football
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. object — an aim
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. vault — a safe
  24. kick — a thrill

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