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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: temple · bound · pitcher · lean · nail · staff · foot · land

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. land — to come down
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. staff — employees
  5. lean — to bend
  6. land — ground
  7. bound — tied together
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. lean — thin
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. foot — a measure
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. bound — obliged
  19. staff — employees
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. bound — certain
  22. staff — a stick
  23. land — a country
  24. pitcher — a jug

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