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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: jam · swing · prune · mark · dip · nail · rule · hand

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. rule — government
  5. mark — a trace
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. hand — in cards
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. swing — music
  14. swing — in golf
  15. rule — a law
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. dip — to sink
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. hand — help
  21. prune — to trim
  22. mark — a grade
  23. swing — to play on
  24. prune — to trim

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