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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: mouse · chair · nail · staff · jam · wave · pit · cell

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. staff — a stick
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. chair — a leader
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — employees
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. pit — a hole
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. cell — a phone
  23. cell — in biology
  24. pit — in a race

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