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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 120 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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  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. foot — part of the body
  2. face — to point toward
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. band — a ring
  5. chest — a box
  6. track — to keep track
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. track — a path
  9. chest — of your body
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. key — for a lock
  14. key — the most important part
  15. key — in music
  16. face — part of the head
  17. band — a music group
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. track — a song
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. foot — a measure
  22. chest — of your body
  23. safe — out of danger
  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