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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: club · row · arm · degree · drill · temple · bulb · mate

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. club — a group
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. drill — a practice
  6. bulb — for light
  7. row — a line
  8. row — to paddle
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mate — a partner
  11. drill — army training
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. club — for dancing
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. degree — an amount
  19. club — for golf
  20. mate — a friend
  21. degree — from a university
  22. drill — the tool
  23. bulb — for light
  24. degree — temperature

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