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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. roll — a cake
  7. pit — a hole
  8. firm — decided
  9. file — a line of people
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. firm — a company
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. hand — help
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. file — a document
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. hand — in cards
  19. file — a tool
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. firm — steady
  23. roll — a list
  24. hand — part of the body

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