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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: lash · temple · hand · club · bay · vault · arm · pound

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. vault — a safe
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. hand — help
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. club — for golf
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. club — a group
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. hand — in cards
  19. club — for dancing
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. pound — a weight
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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