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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: roll · pop · foot · rash · staff · march · club · temple

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. club — a group
  4. club — for dancing
  5. staff — employees
  6. roll — a list
  7. rash — hasty
  8. march — the month
  9. staff — a stick
  10. staff — employees
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. pop — music
  13. march — music
  14. march — the month
  15. foot — a measure
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. roll — a cake
  19. pop — soda
  20. rash — a series
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. club — for golf
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. pop — to visit

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