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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  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. staff — employees
  3. swing — to play on
  4. mate — to breed
  5. deal — to handle
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. pass — a permit
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. swing — music
  10. suit — clothes
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. suit — to fit
  15. mate — a partner
  16. swing — in golf
  17. staff — employees
  18. mate — a friend
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. suit — in cards
  22. staff — a stick
  23. pass — to succeed
  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