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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: object · foot · jam · nail · date · last · squash · staff

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. staff — a stick
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. last — to go on
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. last — final
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. staff — employees
  11. object — a thing
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. squash — to crush
  14. staff — employees
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. squash — the sport
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. object — an aim
  19. object — to protest
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. foot — a measure
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. last — finally

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