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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
468
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 · tube · field · temple · bore · band · arm · leaves

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. club — for golf
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. field — farmland
  5. bore — to tire
  6. tube — a container
  7. band — a ring
  8. field — a subject
  9. band — a music group
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. club — for dancing
  16. bore — to drill
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. field — for sport
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. tube — the underground

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