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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: temple · degree · foot · club · racket · jam · nail · leaves

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. club — a group
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. foot — a measure
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. club — for golf
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. club — for dancing
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. degree — from a university
  21. degree — an amount
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. degree — temperature
  24. foot — the bottom

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