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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. mate — a friend
  4. swing — music
  5. mate — a partner
  6. object — an aim
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. rash — a series
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. pop — to visit
  11. object — a thing
  12. rock — a stone
  13. mate — to breed
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. swing — in golf
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. swing — to play on
  18. object — to protest
  19. rash — hasty
  20. rock — music
  21. pop — music
  22. pop — soda
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. temple — a place of worship

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