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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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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: stick · jam · arm · nail · toast · wax · rest · prune

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. rest — what's left
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. prune — to trim
  11. rest — what's left
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. toast — bread
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. wax — to grow
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. rest — a break
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. wax — for sculpting

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