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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: present · pop · mark · jam · wave · leaves · nail · temple

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. pop — to visit
  5. pop — soda
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. mark — a trace
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. present — there
  14. mark — a grade
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. pop — music
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. present — a gift
  21. present — the time now
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. leaves — lets stay

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