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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. can — a tin
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. roll — a cake
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. roll — a list
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. foot — a measure
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. row — a line
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. row — to paddle
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. cabinet — ministers

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