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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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 · nail · object · coach · last · hide · wax · chair

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. last — finally
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. object — to protest
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. object — an aim
  7. swing — in golf
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. swing — music
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. object — a thing
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. wax — to grow
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. chair — a leader
  20. swing — to play on
  21. last — to go on
  22. last — final
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. hide — to keep secret

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