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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: bass · nail · hide · game · plane · jam · lean · calf

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. game — a match
  4. lean — to bend
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. bass — low music
  8. plane — a tool
  9. game — wild animals
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. bass — the fish
  23. lean — thin
  24. nail — for a hammer

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