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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: rest · jam · chip · arm · row · fine · staff · plane

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. rest — what's left
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. plane — a tool
  6. staff — a stick
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. rest — a break
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. chip — to eat
  12. row — a line
  13. staff — employees
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. row — to paddle
  17. rest — what's left
  18. chip — for betting
  19. fine — all right
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. staff — employees
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. arm — a part of something

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