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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: stick · nail · jam · straw · temple · last · swing · rock

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. swing — in golf
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. swing — to play on
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. rock — music
  8. last — final
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. swing — music
  14. rock — a stone
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. last — to go on
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. jam — a tight spot

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