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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: calf · can · ground · nail · jam · staff · object · tube

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. ground — crushed
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. tube — a container
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. object — to protest
  9. staff — a stick
  10. can — a tin
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. staff — employees
  14. object — an aim
  15. object — a thing
  16. tube — the underground
  17. can — a tin
  18. ground — a position
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. staff — employees
  24. ground — the earth

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