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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: fan · vault · jam · temple · nail · trunk · racket · shower

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. shower — to wash
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. shower — rain
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. vault — a safe
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. racket — for tennis

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