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

Word bank: bound · swing · lash · firm · jam · nail · content · tube

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. content — the amount
  3. firm — steady
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. firm — a company
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. bound — obliged
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. firm — decided
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. swing — to play on
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. swing — music
  17. content — happy
  18. tube — a container
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. bound — certain
  23. tube — the underground
  24. bound — tied together

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