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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: season · jam · fall · deal · rest · snap · nail · firm

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. fall — the season
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. rest — a break
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. deal — to handle
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. rest — what's left
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. fall — to drop
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. firm — decided
  13. firm — steady
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. snap — to click
  17. season — of the year
  18. firm — a company
  19. season — in sport
  20. fall — to drop
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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