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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: jam · wax · bowl · net · file · mug · arm · hand

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. file — a line of people
  3. file — a tool
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. mug — a face
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. wax — to grow
  9. net — in sport
  10. mug — to rob
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. mug — a cup
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. file — a document
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. net — for catching
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. net — after costs
  24. hand — in cards

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