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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: roll · key · arm · jam · staff · mine · plane · nail

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. staff — employees
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. key — in music
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. key — the most important part
  10. roll — a list
  11. mine — for digging
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. roll — a cake
  14. staff — employees
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. staff — a stick
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. plane — a tool
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. key — for a lock

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