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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: sharp · stem · kid · deal · nail · jam · firm · roll

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. kid — to tease
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. roll — a list
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. firm — a company
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. kid — child
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. deal — to handle
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. roll — a cake
  17. stem — to come from
  18. sharp — clever
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. firm — decided
  23. firm — steady
  24. sharp — exactly

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