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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: jam · straw · bass · chip · ground · temple · cue · swing

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. ground — a position
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. swing — to play on
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bass — low music
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. swing — music
  10. chip — to eat
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. swing — in golf
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. chip — for betting
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. cue — a hint
  19. cue — a signal
  20. ground — the earth
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. ground — crushed
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. temple — side of the head

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