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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: pop · object · arm · squash · nail · deal · can · stem

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pop — to visit
  3. can — a tin
  4. stem — to come from
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. object — to protest
  8. pop — soda
  9. squash — to crush
  10. deal — to handle
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. object — an aim
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. object — a thing
  15. pop — music
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. can — a tin
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. can — to be able to
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. squash — the sport

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