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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. craft — boats
  3. staff — a stick
  4. stand — to bear
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. rush — hurry
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. roll — a list
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. roll — a cake
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. staff — employees
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. craft — a skill
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. rush — to hurry

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