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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: jam · wind · mouse · key · spell · chair · nail · calf

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. wind — moving air
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. spell — letters
  7. spell — magic
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. key — for a lock
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. key — in music
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. spell — a short time
  16. chair — a leader
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. key — the most important part
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. wind — moving air
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. mouse — the animal

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