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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 120 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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. swing — music
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. land — a country
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. wax — to grow
  11. swing — to play on
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. fall — to drop
  15. land — ground
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. fall — the season
  19. fork — in a road
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. land — to come down
  22. stand — to bear
  23. fall — to drop
  24. wax — in the ear

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