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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: arm · hand · current · file · nail · jam · fall · ball

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. fall — to drop
  3. file — a document
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. hand — help
  6. file — a tool
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. ball — a great time
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. current — electric
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. fall — the season
  15. hand — in cards
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. ball — a dance
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. file — a line of people
  21. fall — to drop
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. current — happening now
  24. current — of water

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