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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: suit · game · lie · club · temple · content · jam · mouse

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. game — wild animals
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. game — a match
  6. club — a group
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. lie — to recline
  9. content — the amount
  10. suit — to fit
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. content — happy
  15. suit — in cards
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. club — for golf
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. suit — clothes

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