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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: cell · hide · jam · pop · cabinet · pass · nail · fork

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. cell — in biology
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. pop — to visit
  5. pop — music
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. pass — a permit
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. pop — soda
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. fork — in a road
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. cell — a phone

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