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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. swing — in golf
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. suit — to fit
  7. file — a document
  8. suit — in cards
  9. chest — of your body
  10. swing — to play on
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. file — a tool
  13. suit — clothes
  14. track — to keep track
  15. chest — of your body
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. foot — a measure
  18. file — a line of people
  19. swing — music
  20. chest — a box
  21. track — a song
  22. track — a path
  23. stem — to come from
  24. nail — for a hammer

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