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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: swing · jam · bore · nail · club · land · temple · mate

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  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. jam — a tight spot
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. land — to come down
  4. swing — music
  5. swing — in golf
  6. land — a country
  7. bore — to tire
  8. club — for golf
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. mate — a partner
  11. club — for dancing
  12. mate — a friend
  13. swing — to play on
  14. club — a group
  15. land — ground
  16. mate — to breed
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bore — to drill
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  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