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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: game · staff · branch · pit · key · current · arm · nail

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. key — the most important part
  4. branch — a division
  5. game — a match
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. staff — a stick
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. staff — employees
  12. key — in music
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. current — happening now
  16. key — for a lock
  17. game — wild animals
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. current — of water
  22. pit — a hole
  23. current — electric
  24. staff — employees

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