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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: foot · nail · fall · squash · straw · suit · mark · jam

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  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. fall — to drop
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. suit — clothes
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — in cards
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. foot — a measure
  13. mark — a grade
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. squash — to crush
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. fall — the season
  18. fall — to drop
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. squash — the sport
  21. mark — a trace
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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