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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 120 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: firm · net · nail · temple · cue · coach · hide · race

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  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. firm — steady
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. net — after costs
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. race — a contest
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. cue — a hint
  9. cue — for pool
  10. net — in sport
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. race — the arms race
  14. firm — decided
  15. cue — a signal
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. race — humankind
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. net — for catching
  20. firm — a company
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  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