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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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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: nail · present · rock · dip · club · jam · fan · pop

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. club — for golf
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. pop — music
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. present — there
  10. rock — a stone
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. dip — to sink
  13. pop — soda
  14. present — the time now
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. club — a group
  18. present — a gift
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. club — for dancing
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. rock — music

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