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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. kid — to tease
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. lean — to bend
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. lean — thin
  9. foot — a measure
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. face — part of the head
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. kick — in football
  19. kid — child
  20. face — to point toward
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. face — to confront

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