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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: rush · key · jam · swing · temple · object

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. key — in music
  5. object — an aim
  6. rush — hurry
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. key — the most important part
  9. object — a thing
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. swing — to play on
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. swing — in golf
  16. swing — music
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. object — to protest

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