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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. bank — for money
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. staff — a stick
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. wound — an injury
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. staff — employees
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. foot — a measure
  12. staff — employees
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. mark — a trace
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bank — of a river
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. wound — an injury
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bank — for money

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