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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: club · mouse · temple · bay · foot · coach · date · suit

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. club — for golf
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. date — the fruit
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. suit — clothes
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — in cards
  23. club — for dancing
  24. club — a group

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