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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: net · straw · temple · coach · mouse · roll · club · swing

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. club — for dancing
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. roll — a cake
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. club — a group
  8. roll — a list
  9. swing — music
  10. swing — in golf
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. club — for golf
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. swing — to play on
  15. net — after costs
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. net — in sport
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. net — for catching
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. temple — side of the head

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