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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: craft · jam · staff · capital · rest · nail · lie · arm

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. rest — what's left
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. staff — employees
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. capital — money
  9. craft — a skill
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. capital — a city
  13. rest — a break
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. lie — to recline
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. rest — what's left
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — a stick

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