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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · nail · file · net · hand · kick · toast · jam

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. kick — in football
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. file — a tool
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. net — in sport
  12. file — a document
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. toast — bread
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. file — a line of people
  17. hand — in cards
  18. hand — help
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. net — for catching
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. net — after costs

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