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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 120 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: arm · staff · can · plane · kick · wax · nail · suit

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. can — to be able to
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. can — a tin
  7. staff — employees
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. wax — to grow
  11. can — a tin
  12. suit — to fit
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. suit — in cards
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. suit — clothes
  19. staff — a stick
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. plane — a tool
  24. kick — in football

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