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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: last · nail · stick · firm · jam · fall · trunk · roll

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. roll — a cake
  3. firm — a company
  4. fall — to drop
  5. roll — a list
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. last — to go on
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. firm — decided
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. fall — the season
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. fall — to drop
  18. last — finally
  19. last — final
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. firm — steady
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  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