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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 · patient · plane · calf · last · mark · arm · roll

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. plane — a tool
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. mark — a trace
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. roll — a list
  12. last — final
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. mark — a grade
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. last — finally
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. roll — a cake
  24. last — to go on

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