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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: bank · jam · pit · ball · staff · cap · stick · nail

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. cap — a hat
  3. ball — a great time
  4. pit — a hole
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bank — for money
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. cap — of ice
  11. bank — for money
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. cap — a lid
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. staff — a stick
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. pit — in a race
  18. staff — employees
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. staff — employees
  23. ball — a dance
  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