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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: arm · temple · band · bore · kick · lean · club · ground

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. club — for golf
  3. club — for dancing
  4. ground — crushed
  5. band — a ring
  6. bore — to tire
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. ground — a position
  11. kick — in football
  12. club — a group
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. band — a music group
  15. lean — to bend
  16. ground — the earth
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. lean — thin

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