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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: jam · plane · cap · temple · nail · wind · cue · arm

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. wind — moving air
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. cue — a signal
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. plane — a tool
  8. cap — a lid
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. cue — for pool
  11. cue — a hint
  12. cap — a hat
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. cap — of ice
  18. wind — moving air
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. arm — part of the body

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