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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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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: arm · club · nail · straw · clip · dip · temple · suit

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. clip — for paper
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. clip — to cut
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. suit — in cards
  15. club — for dancing
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. club — for golf
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. suit — clothes
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. clip — a video
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. club — a group
  24. suit — to fit

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