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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. content — the amount
  7. wound — an injury
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. fork — in a road
  10. wound — an injury
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. mug — a cup
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. mug — to rob
  17. stem — to come from
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. mug — a face
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. foot — a measure
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. content — happy

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