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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: staff · fork · perch · nail · arm · game · jam · plane

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. game — wild animals
  8. staff — a stick
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. game — a match
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. staff — employees
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. staff — employees
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. plane — a tool
  23. fork — in a road
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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