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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: jam · track · fan · temple · mine · nail · mark · stick

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  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. fan — a supporter
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. track — a path
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. mark — a trace
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. track — to keep track
  12. mine — for digging
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. mark — a grade
  17. track — a song
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. mine — an explosive
  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