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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. file — a line of people
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. file — a tool
  6. chest — of your body
  7. chest — a box
  8. file — a document
  9. deal — to handle
  10. hand — help
  11. chest — of your body
  12. stem — to come from
  13. hand — in cards
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. foot — a measure
  21. stand — to bear
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. stand — on your feet

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