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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: nail · perch · stand · ruler · chest · jam · wave · date

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. chest — of your body
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. chest — of your body
  7. perch — the fish
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. stand — to bear
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. date — the fruit
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. chest — a box
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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