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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.

Make a worksheet

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: nail · suit · leaves · wake · foot · shower

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. suit — in cards
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. shower — to wash
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. foot — a measure
  13. shower — rain
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. suit — clothes
  16. wake — a trail
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. suit — to fit

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