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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: nail · arm · cap · swing · squash · fine · band · mine

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. squash — the sport
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. fine — all right
  7. swing — to play on
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. band — a music group
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. mine — for digging
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. fine — high quality
  15. squash — to crush
  16. cap — a hat
  17. cap — of ice
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. swing — in golf
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. band — a ring
  23. cap — a lid
  24. nail — on a finger

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