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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: snap · nail · object · club · mug · temple · swing · cell

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. club — for dancing
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. swing — music
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. mug — a cup
  10. object — to protest
  11. object — an aim
  12. object — a thing
  13. club — a group
  14. cell — a phone
  15. swing — to play on
  16. mug — a face
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. snap — to click
  19. cell — in biology
  20. swing — in golf
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. mug — to rob
  24. nail — for a hammer

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