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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 · fork · nail · cap · lash · plane · bulb · mate

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. mate — a partner
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. plane — a tool
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. fork — in a road
  8. bulb — for light
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. cap — of ice
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. bulb — for light
  15. mate — a friend
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. cap — a lid
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. mate — to breed
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. cap — a hat
  24. nail — for a hammer

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