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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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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: mate · jam · temple · nail · stand · rush · rest · pitch

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. rest — what's left
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. pitch — completely
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. rest — what's left
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. mate — a friend
  17. mate — a partner
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. mate — to breed
  22. stand — to bear
  23. rush — hurry
  24. jam — in traffic

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