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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mine · stick · foot · cap · nail · bear

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. cap — a lid
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. cap — of ice
  9. cap — a hat
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. foot — a measure
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. mine — for digging
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. bear — the animal

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