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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: nail · shower · content · arm · firm · staff · chair · pit

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. shower — rain
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. firm — a company
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. shower — to wash
  8. staff — a stick
  9. staff — employees
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. pit — a hole
  13. content — the amount
  14. firm — decided
  15. chair — a leader
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. pit — in a race
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. firm — steady
  23. content — happy
  24. staff — employees

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