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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: roll · foot · bat · fan · temple · pitcher · bay · club

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. club — for golf
  3. club — for dancing
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. bat — the animal
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. roll — a list
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. club — a group
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. roll — a cake
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. foot — a measure
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. bat — for baseball

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