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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: temple · rush · nail · board · coach · tear · firm · wind

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. firm — decided
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. tear — from crying
  9. firm — a company
  10. tear — from crying
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. board — a committee
  13. firm — steady
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. board — to get on
  19. wind — moving air
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. tear — to rip
  22. rush — hurry
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. temple — a place of worship

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