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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
468
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: temple · squash · nail · chip · present · mate · bass · object

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. object — to protest
  3. bass — the fish
  4. object — an aim
  5. squash — to crush
  6. mate — to breed
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. present — there
  9. squash — the sport
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. chip — to eat
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. present — the time now
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. present — a gift
  16. mate — a partner
  17. object — a thing
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. bass — low music
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. mate — a friend
  24. chip — for betting

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