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

Word bank: bank · wake · toast · foot · rule · nail

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. wake — a trail
  3. rule — a law
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. toast — bread
  9. bank — of a river
  10. rule — government
  11. bank — for money
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. bank — for money
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. foot — a measure
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. foot — part of the body

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