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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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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: plane · nail · chip · wound · pass · sharp · mark · jam

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. mark — a grade
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. mark — a trace
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. sharp — clever
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. wound — an injury
  12. plane — a tool
  13. pass — a permit
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. chip — to eat
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. wound — an injury
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. chip — for betting
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. nail — on a finger

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