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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: racket · temple · ground · stick · can · club · arm · toast

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. club — a group
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. club — for golf
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. toast — bread
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. ground — a position
  14. ground — crushed
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — a tin
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. can — to be able to
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. club — for dancing
  24. ground — the earth

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